Our Legacy
by lilkorea
Summary: 20:04 Red Age, nearly a thousand years since the Rift in the sky was closed forever by the Inquisitor of the Dragon Age. Thedas has then since been plunged into darkness many more times with Blights and wars. A powerful organization rose from the ashes of the devastation, blanketing what was left of Thedas under its influence. "Dawn will come when the World unites."
1. Prologue

Prologue

09:35 Dragon Age (Kirkwall)

Marian Hawke clenched her teeth as she struggled through the labor. Beside her was Aveline, letting her squeeze the warrior's hand in a vice-like grip without a single complaint. Between her legs and coaching her through the labor was Orana, who was not only a good cook but proved to be a knowledgeable midwife. They were inside the Hawke Estate, inside the master bedroom. All of Hightown were asleep in the middle of the night, unaware of their mage resident struggling to give life.

Marian pushed again, harder this time as she felt her magic charging up the air, heating up the room as she willed everything she had into that last push. Then she fell back against the pillows of her bed, panting heavily right as the room filled with the sound of a baby crying.

"Oh! It's a girl! Congratulations, Mistriss!" Orana announced. Marian could barely keep her eyes open after that ordeal but the moment Orana carried her baby into view, wrapped up in a towel, she was filled with strength again. Feeling her second wind and filling up with renewed strength Marian sat up and scooted back against the headboard of her bed. Aveline helped her sit up, stacking the pillows against her back before Orana handed the baby over gently.

"She's beautiful, Hawke."Aveline said, watching with fondness as Marian cradled her baby in her arms. Aveline was the first person in their circle of odd friends that had known she was pregnant, and as happy as she had been for her mage friend, she was also fearful of what the future would bring for the new mother and her baby; especially knowing who the father is. Aveline knew that it was going to be a challenge to keep such a big secret, especially when the child gets bigger. But for now, the Guard-Captain will be happy for her friend and promises to take this secret to her grave so long as mages were in danger inside Kirkwall.

Looking down at the pink face, Marian felt her heart melt, unable to stop the feeling of love flood through her and spill out from her eyes as tears of joy ran down her flushed cheeks. The new mother admired her baby, drinking every detail with her eyes. From the wisp of fine black hair on her head to the perfect pink toes on both feet. She was perfect. Down to the hawk-shaped birthmark on her inner right arm above the elbow.

A knock came at the door, stealing the attention of both women. Aveline stood at the ready, moving to stand at the foot of the bed in case they were to be ambushed.

"Messere, I've brought him for you." came Bodahn's voice from the other side. Marian and Aveline both physically relaxed.

"Yes, let him in." Marian said. The door slowly opened and with some hesitation, Cullen entered the room. He was out of his Templar armor and wearing a plain leather jerkin and pants. The nervous look on his face melted immediately when his amber eyes landed on Marian and the bundle in her arms. Aveline stepped aside to allow Cullen to enter the room where he immediately placed himself at Marian's side, sitting beside her with an arm going around her shoulders.

Aveline and Orana both smiled at each other before taking their leave, letting the new parents get acquainted with their daughter. With the door closed, the new parents basked in the glow of happiness.

Cullen looked down at the baby's face, his eyes softening with love as he gently touched her head, his callused fingers stroking the silky soft black hairs. He watched with adoration as his daughter's arms squirmed around over her face and he caught sight of a dusky pink mark on the inside of her right arm. He gently reached down for her arm to have a better look at the mark and sure enough there was a birthmark in the shape of a hawk taking flight. Just like her mother.

The tiny hand found a callused finger and wrapped it in a tight grip, making Cullen's heart flutter.

Cullen kissed Marian's temple and whispered in her ear how much he loved her. He would be lying if he said that he didn't feel fear strike him in the heart when Marian had told him that she was pregnant with his child. Their relationship was a dangerous enough secret on its own, and it had been riddled with challenges. Yet, despite the danger of discovery it only strengthened their resolve to be together. Despite what the Chantry preached and what Meredeth decreed and what evils he harrowed through inside Kinloch; nothing in this world will ever convince Cullen that magic was completely evil. Not when he had proof right in front of him.

"She's perfect." Cullen whispered, "And she'll grow up to be beautiful just like her mother. Maker, I should write to my sister. She'll be furious to hear that I have a child before her. What should we name her?"

"I want to name her Kailah." Marian said, her voice tired and her eyelids growing heavy again.

Cullen smiled, "Kailah…it's pretty." Marian let out a yawn and Cullen took that as his cue to take Kailah into his arms. "Rest, love. I'll take over and watch over you both."

Cullen held his daughter in his arms, her tiny little body wrapped snuggly in a knitted blanket made of soft lambs wool. He carried her over to the bedroom window, carefully looking out through the parted space of the curtains at the small garden behind the estate. The first snowfall of winter was making its gentle descent from the heavens, quietly covering Kirkwall in white. It felt like the perfect setting, the perfect season, the perfect night for his daughter to be born. The outside world and all its troubles had no place here tonight as he greeted the New Year with a new chapter in his life.

He looked back to the bed where the love of his life laid against a stack of pillows, watching him with tired eyes while a gentle smile was on her lips. Her fair complexion still blemished pink from the labor of bringing life into the world, her stomach still swollen and round under the covers. She had never been more beautiful to him until that moment. The Knight-Captain smiled back at her, his amber eyes alight with love and joy as he returned to her side with their daughter. He sat down on the bed beside her as Marian gingerly slid herself higher up on the bed to sit up a bit more.

"Don't strain yourself too much, love." he said.

Marian Hawke let out a soft chuckle. "I'm not made of glass, Cullen."

"I know, I just…well, you just gave birth. Your body must be tired."

Marian placed a hand on his arm. "I'm fine, Cullen." she said gently, looking at him with a reassuring smile that visibly melted away some of Cullen's worries on his face. She moved her eyes down to her daughter in his arms and rested her cheek on his shoulder. "She's perfect."

"She truly is." Cullen agreed, staring down at the sleeping infant. Just barely a few hours old and already Cullen felt so much love for her he didn't know what to do about it. His eyes wandered over every detail, taking in the roundness of her pink cheeks, the wisps of black hair on her head, and the tiny fingers she absently sucked on in her sleep. The color of her eyes was still a mystery, since she barely opened her eyes enough to let him get a glimpse, but that could wait. He will have all the time in the world to learn all about his beautiful little girl.

xxxxx

By dawn Cullen found it incredibly difficult to leave, wishing he could take some time off from his Templar duties to be with his new family, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't risk his family's safety; he couldn't risk Meredith turning her suspicious eyes onto him and Marian. He had to continue keeping their relationship a secret. He had to keep Kailah a secret (as much as it pained him). He had to keep up the appearance of a dutiful Knight-Captain while he thought of a way to get his family out of Kirkwall safely now that the Knight-Commander assumed command in the absence of Viscount Dumar.

"Cullen, you worry too much." Marian said, sitting up in bed while breastfeeding their daughter. "Aveline will be stopping by to check on me today and I have Orana and Bodahn who can help me around the estate. Not to mention Varric has been making sure that he hasn't heard any rumors about us."

Ah, yes. The dwarf who had a talent for spinning tales. Of course he would spin more to divert suspicion.

"I know I'm being paranoid but can you blame me?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck. "I mean, it was one thing keeping us a secret, now with the baby and Meredith…things are going to get a lot harder."

"I know, which is all the more reason for us to keep up the act."

Cullen went to Marian's bedside and kissed her on the lips and then kissed the top of Kailah's soft head. Standing up straight he smiled down at them. "I'll be back tonight, love."

"We'll be here." Marian replied, smiling back at him as she watched him leave. A few hours after sunrise Aveline stopped by, as promised, bringing a basket of gifts for the new baby. "Thanks again for stopping by, Aveline."

"Of course, I had to make sure the new mother and her baby are faring well." the Guard-Captain said, setting the basket down on the floor before sitting down on the edge of the bed. She smiled at the baby in Marian's arms. "Have you named her yet?"

"I named her Kailah." Marian said.

"A good name. Strong but gentle. I'm guessing the father approves as well?" Aveline asked.

"Yes."

They sat in silence for a minute before Aveline spoke. "Listen, Hawke…you will have to make an appearance soon so that people don't become suspicious. It's hard enough to keep people from noticing their Champion's absence in the past six weeks."

"I know," Marian sighed, "Those mage robes can only hide so much before people take notice. I just need a little more time now that I've had the baby. You and Varric have done a lot for us; even Orana and Bodahn have done so much without me having to ask."

"You have to know that Kirkwall is becoming too dangerous for mages. If someone were to find out about the baby then questions will turn to who the father is. That will put both you and Cullen in a lot of danger. Then there are our other friends who still don't know."

"I know that." Marian said softly, looking down at her daughter.

"Have you at least spoken to any of them?"

"No, and Varric has reassured me that none of them know."

"Fenris has been continuing to lay low in that abandoned manor, and Anders is quiet for now but we both know with Meredith assuming charge of Kirkwall that won't last for long. And there's still no sign of Isabela."

"Thanks, Aveline."

"I'll do what I can, Hawke."

xxxxx

When Varric showed up at the Hawke Estate, it was right at sunset. Like Aveline, he also brought a gift for the baby, a purple dragon made of yarn.

"So this is the little princess?" Varric said, peering at the baby who was resting in her cradle. He set the dragon doll down by her head before walking over to the bed to sit beside Marian. "She's gonna break quite a few hearts in her lifetime, your Knight-Captain's gonna need to invest some serious coin in a chastity belt or an isolated tower guarded by a dragon."

Marian laughed lightly at the joke. "Not to mention a whetstone to keep his sword sharp."

"All joking aside, Hawke, what are your plans?"

"Ever since I told him I was pregnant, Cullen has done nothing but talk about getting us out of Kirkwall."

"It's a good idea, but it'll be harder now that you have the baby." Varric said, "Especially with tensions growing with the mages. Blondie has been talking a lot about how drastic plans need to be taken to start a change."

"I should feel torn about leaving but seeing her here, it makes the idea of leaving Kirkwall so much easier. More desirable."

"If you're gonna leave, Hawke, leave soon. I'll do all I can to help you and your family. As entertaining as the idea of you fighting bad guys with a baby strapped to your back, I for one can't encourage endangering innocent babies."

"For now, Varric, it's enough that you're looking out for us."

Varric patted his friend's knee before standing up and going over to the cradle to look down at the baby again. The dwarf found his breath catching in his throat when he saw a pair of striking blue eyes staring up at him. A gentle smile curved his lips as he reached into the cradle and allowed the infant to latch onto a gloved finger with her tiny hand.

"You're gonna be a lot of trouble for your parents, kiddo." Varric said before gently prying his finger away. "I'm gonna check on Blondie and the others; make sure they haven't heard anything about this little princess or your Templar."

"Will you be her godfather, Varric?"

Varric paused a moment before turning fully to look back at Marian. A wide grin on his face before he gave the mage a dramatic bow. "It would be my honor, Serah."

xxxxx

Marian smiled at Kailah, unable to get enough of her daughter as she cooed and fawned over her newborn. Kissing her round cheeks until they were rosy red, breathing in the addicting smell of her baby. Stroking the soft skin of her tiny hands and playfully nibbling on her tiny toes.

"I wonder if you'll show magical talents when you're older." Marian mused as she finished changing Kailah's diaper. "It won't matter, magic or no, you will live a free life, never wanting for anything."

A knock came at her bedroom door before it opened ajar and Carver poked his head inside. Her little brother, now part of the Grey Warden Order, had returned to Kirkwall when he received Marian's letter that she was pregnant and due in the winter. Carver's timing had been surprisingly spot on and the joy that shown on his face when he saw his niece made their family reunion all the more special.

"Are you done? I would like to spend a little more time with my niece before I have to leave." Carver said as he walked over to the side of the bed where Marian had changed Kailah's diaper.

"Of course. She's all yours." Marian said, taking the dirty linen and dropping it into the hamper for Orana to take.

Carver happily picked up Kailah, cradling her carefully in his arms. "Now who's all clean and ready for Uncle Carver?" he asked, using a voice that Marian had never heard her brother use. She let it slide, however, knowing that it will be very far and few visits from her brother. Carver carried Kailah out of the master bedroom and downstairs to the living room.

Three days had already passed since Kailah was born and Marian felt like she was floating on a cloud. She had the love of her life and now a daughter. A thought of her mother and sister flashed through the forefront of her mind and a sliver of sadness ebbed its way out.

"They would have loved her, mother and Bethany. There's no doubt about that." Carver said to Marian while he gazed adoringly down at Kailah.

A smile appeared on Marian's face as she joined her brother on the sofa she had bought several months ago (mostly because Cullen had often pointed out that she needed one). "I know they would have. And father would have loved her, too."

Carver looked up at his sister with a bit more of a serious expression. "Maybe you should consider leaving Kirkwall, sister. Maybe return to Lothering?"

"I have been thinking about it."

"Stop thinking and just leave. Get out of the Free Marches before things here in Kirkwall get worse. Think of your daughter."

"I will, Carver. I am. Kailah's safety is my first priority and Cullen agrees."

"I just don't want to lose any more of my family."

xxxxx

By the time Kailah was asleep and tucked into her cradle did Cullen return. The Knight-Captain had once more left his Templar armor behind in the Gallows as to look inconspicuous when walking through the streets so as to not draw attention to himself. Although he had to slip away in the dark of night, using a secret tunnel that connected the Gallows to Kirkwall's underground tunnel that lyrium smugglers often used. It was worth it if he could see his family, even for just a few hours.

"Welcome home." Marian greeted tiredly. "Carver left hours ago."

"Really? So soon?" Cullen asked.

"Grey Warden duties and all." Marian shrugged.

Cullen smiled as he kissed Marian tenderly on the lips. "How is our daughter?" he asked, fond of saying the word that he had been bursting to say it all day.

"She's spirited. She cried all afternoon after Carver left and the only thing that calmed her down was when I wrapped her in one of your shirts."

"One of my shirts?" Cullen asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I was giving her a bath and couldn't find a towel, your shirt was the nearest thing and I guess it's your smell or something because she stopped crying almost instantly."

Cullen let out a laugh. "Should I feel guilty to think our daughter misses her father already?"

Marian laughed with him, "I can't believe I have to be jealous that our daughter already loves you more."

He kissed her brow and gave her hips a squeeze before pulling back to reach inside his leather jacket and brought out a stuffed toy lamb. "A merchant in the Gallows had it among his wares. He never asked the reason why I was buying it, which I'm grateful for."

"Maybe he thought you have a thing for toys?"

"Possibly, he did give me a queer look."

"Since it was in your pocket I'm sure she'll love it." Marian teased.

Later that night as they slept together in bed, a subtle sound that could have easily been ignored woke Marian up. Being a mother made her sensitive to the littlest of sounds. Her instincts told her to check on the baby as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Looking up to where the cradle sat at the foot of the bed she froze, her blood turning to ice when she saw a dark hooded figure looming over the cradle.

"Who are you?" Marian asked, startling the figure as she sat up quickly in bed. Cullen woke up just then, his mind already alert as he jumped out of bed. "Get away from my baby!"

The figure grabbed haphazardly into the cradle, scooping up the baby along with the blankets and cushion before dashing out of the room.

"Kailah!" Cullen screamed, running after the kidnapper. "Kailah!"

"Kailah!" Marian screamed, following close behind as they flew out the front door after the kidnapper. They ran as if they were possessed, chasing after the man who had their daughter through the empty streets of Hightown. There were no city guards like there usually were, as if all of them had vanished or were conveniently elsewhere. But that mattered little right now as all focus was on getting back their infant daughter.

The kidnapper was swift on his feet, running through the empty streets like a spell of haste had been cast upon him. Marian and Cullen chased him into the plaza at the base of the Chantry where suddenly the air ripped open and a white tunnel appeared. The kidnapper ran straight into it with their daughter and then instantly vanished along with the cries of their baby.

"My BABY!"


	2. Chapter 1 - Candidate

Chapter One

20:04 Red Age

Cor stood before the Citadel Council, going over the profile of the candidate he had submitted. The council consisted of five individuals; Human, Dwarf, Elf, Qunari, and an elven Mage. Standing witness for the meeting stood a lone figure, dressed in his striking armor. The flexible material was black with a solid yellow streak that ran down each side from axilla to feet and from the shoulders to the hands. The soldier was of the Qunari race, but his role was within the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance (Spectre for short). It was well known that the Qunari dominated the Spectre ranks due to their culture and strong military force, creating soldiers who can "get the job done." There have been occasions where a dwarf or elf were admitted into the ranks of the Spectres and only a handful of humans were ever nominated but never passed their evaluations.

Today, Cor was presenting the Council the first human candidate in fifty years. A teenage girl's profile appeared in front of each Council member on a hologram screen. The girl had shoulder length electric blue hair, matching the intense blue of her eyes. She was fair skinned and lithe, her build suggesting agility over physical strength. Beside her picture were her statistics, her percentage of success, the number of kills she had made, and all of the basic statistics of her personal self. Height, age, weight, blood type and so on.

"Hawke is an exceptional prodigy. As part of the Malapa Project, she has been trained since infancy. At the top of her class, Hawke has the highest scores in every field. Agility, strength, and the ability to heal ten times faster from any wound without the need of emergency first aid." Cor said, keeping his personal bias to himself.

"Sixteen…a bit young for a Spectre candidate." said Emmerett, the human Councilman. "And her file indicates that she has been only sent on missions with a scale of low to no success. Impressive for a kid."

"Is this not the lone survivor of the _Graduation Test_?" asked Valora, the elven Council member.

"Yes, Madam Councilor," Cor answered, "The very one."

"Are you really so surprised?" asked Sahad, the Qunari Councilman. "The Malapa Project produced a crop of soldiers, the best the Alliance has ever received from Trinity."

Auslag, the dwarf Council member snorted. "A project that turned children into monsters, you mean."

"There's a reason why after the Graduation Test the project was discontinued." said Emmerett.

"Yes, the project was in poor taste." said Ykut, the elven mage.

"Councilors, if you please," Cor said, getting their attention. "As you know, my candidate is the best suited to become a Spectre; her skills alone are proof enough. Silas has also cast his vote for my candidate, and will be the Spectre evaluating her as a prospect to join their sect. Should she pass Ser Silas' evaluation, Hawke will become the first human Spectre."

 **xxxxx**

Entering the office of Councilman Ykut, Cor stood in the center of the room with a tablet tucked under his right arm. He waited quietly for the mage councilman to address him. The elf was slender, like the rest of his kind, and youthful looking despite being the oldest on the Council. Ykut turned to regard Cor, his wizened eyes piercing the soldier's soul.

"Thank you for coming, there is something that needs to be addressed in regards to your candidate." Ykut began as he walked around the pristine crystal desk and stood in front of it, facing Cor.

"Of course, Councilman." Cor said.

"Does your candidate know of her origin? Her parentage?" Ykut asked.

"Just that she is human and an orphan, Ser. The Academy and whatever missions she is assigned is all she knows, aside from that, she's a normal teenager."

" _Normal_?" Ykut scoffed, crossing her arms in front of him. "You and I both know that your _candidate_ is far from _normal_. Like the other subjects from the Malapa Project, normal is not a word I would attach to them so casually. Her origins, her parentage, the circumstances around the report you submitted of where you found her?" the mage sighed heavily. "Cor, I know why you are pushing so hard for this child to join the ranks of the Spectres but it will not further our cause. She is a wild card in the deck we had so carefully built over the years, she could be our downfall."

"Or she could be exactly what we need to succeed."

"It is unfortunately too late to correct your impulsive choice, stuck with whatever consequence that will come our way."

"With her in the Spectres you will be able to keep a close watch. You will be able to control which missions she is allowed to partake in."

"Such a decision is not mine alone to make, _Commander_. If a senior Spectre wishes to add her onto his team I cannot overturn that choice without raising suspicion."

"What are you so afraid of? She is a sleeper agent. Once activated any free will she has will be overridden by her programming."

Ykut grimaced, "You do realize that the Spectres check for things like that."

"They won't find anything. Trinity has made sure of that."

xxxxx

Within the halls of the Trinity Academy, the students weaved past each other while on their way to their next class. Trinity Academy was a well known school for producing excellent recruits for the militia of Thedas, regardless of background. Only a handful of students in each grade were part of the "Advanced Placement Program," which was an extension of the military forces, using students for mostly espionage assignments. It was rare for a student to take on assignments that were deemed dangerous and only the best were given such assignments.

Today however, the concern wasn't a mission but getting to class on time as a student ran through the emptying hallways, her electric blue eyes frantic as she made a sharp turn around a corner. The rubber soles of her shoes squeaking noisily under her feet against the smooth tile of the polished floor. Bursting through the doors right as the first bell rang, the girl made it to her class just in the nick of time.

"Well, barely made it before the first bell, Serah Hawke." said the instructor, "Please take your seat."

Hawke made a beeline up the steps of the tiered seats and desks, sitting down next to her best friend, Flynn, with a heavy breath.

"All right class, please insert your USBs and we will continue the lesson on the next chapter."

The students did as they were instructed and hologram screens popped up in front of each student.

"Late night?" whispered Flynn. Flynn was a dwarf and also her best friend. They were in the Malapa Project together, though Flynn had been part of a different group. Flynn was an incredibly smart dwarf, and that cleverness served well in being creative on the fly. Not to mention they both happened to share the same nameday, making their friendship more special in Hawke's opinion.

"More like an all nighter." Hawke whispered back, running her fingers through her electric blue hair. "Geez, couldn't the higher ups just give me a weekend off?"

"Must be tough being the favorite." Flynn whispered, scrolling through the chapter that they were to review for that lesson.

"Tch. More like the upper classman are just either too lazy or don't have the balls to do the job." Hawke grumbled before stifling a yawn.

"Then why not take it down a notch with your awesomeness?"

"Because then I'd be like everybody else and that's boring."

"Serah Hawke. Messere Tethras" the two teens perked up at the call of their names by their instructor. "Have you both an input on today's lesson or shall I continue without your interruptions?"

"Sorry, Professor." Hawke and Flynn said together.

The morning went by without incident though Hawke was fighting against sleep, having slept through her last class before the noon break where she met up with Flynn and their small group of friends. Hawke grabbed a nutripak from the dispenser, twisting the plastic cap off before bringing it to her lips to suck out of the slurry. It was bland with barely any flavor. The packaging said it was "natural apple flavor" but Hawke knew that wasn't the case. Like most things, everything was artificial. Nothing was natural anymore.

The last world war left Thedas in poor shape, with only eight major cities still standing amongst the chaotic aftermath. Tevinter, Denerim, Val Royeaux, Orzimmar, Kirkwall, Starkhaven, Par Vollan and New Arlathan; the elven city that had been rebuilt after the seventh Blight in the 13th Age. Since the last war, it was a struggle to rebuild all other cities and towns that had been hit hard from the bombs. That was around the time Trinity rose up to power as the leading corporation in Thedas, their mission being to unite the remaining population of Thedas to rebuild. The Trinity Corporation had become the largest commercial entity in all of Thedas. Nine out of every ten homes contained its products. Its political and financial influence is felt everywhere. In public, it is the world's leading supplier of computer technology, medical products, healthcare and commercial consumer supplies. Unknown, even to most of its own employees, its massive profits are generated by military technology, genetic experimentation, and viral weaponry.

Not only was the earth poisoned, so was the air. The first war to use nuclear bombs had a catastrophic backfire as the clouds of smoke and debris covered the sky, trapping its poison and throwing Thedas into an ice age that lasted almost two hundred years, nearly wiping out the population and killing thousands of species of animals and plants. When the cloud barrier that had trapped the world in an unending cold dissipated, the ice then began to melt as the temperatures rose and what was left of mankind and elves and dwarves and qunari left them a sense of false security. Fifty years later the melting ice had released the poisonous gases from the previous war, creating a global emergency, thus the need for the construction of the domes. Fast-forward to present day, the radiation levels were still dangerously high that exposure to it without the proper protection gear would subdue anyone with radiation sickness. Luckily with modern medical science there is a cure to counter the radiation effects and the poisoned air. Just like there is also a vaccine to protect people against the Blight should it come back. To continue life to its fullest all major cities and large towns were able to put up the "Dome," built to protect people from the radiation. Unfortunately with each city and town was over population, which meant every Dome housed the hierarchy from the filthy slums to the filthy rich.

Resources, amongst many things, were limited. Water being the most precious resource, and food equally as sparse, Trinity stepped in again by creating food pills and hydration capsules. It helped decrease the food and water crisis, made up from synthesized organisms to replicate the essential nutrients a person needed on a daily basis. The hydration capsules were the same, modified on a molecular level to replenish the cells in the body once consumed. Along with the food pills and hydration capsules, Trinity also produced better quality air filters for every home, and masks to wear when out to continue breathing "better air."

From synthesized food and water to safer air within the domes, Trinity's necessity for better quality of life became essential for what remained of Thedas. There was no limit to Trinity's reach as it even stretched beyond the Waking Sea to the other countries needing "assistance." With Trinity's main headquarters in the long since abandoned Griffon's Wing Keep in the Western Approach (obviously rebuilt and remodeled into a stronger fortress to not only withstand and block out the sand storms). The military power it had, "uniting" all of Thedas by keeping the peace in every city, every town, it wasn't enough and thus Trinity built the Academy. Using the abandoned ruins of Weisshaupt Fortress and converting it into a school, opening their halls to all children of Thedas.

No one was the wiser of Trinity's other side, only seeing what was on the surface as Trinity extended its hand to orphaned children with the message that no child should be left behind. Underneath the façade, the orphans were used for genetic experiments, a handful going missing every month and no one questioning their disappearance because they were orphans. Expendable, with no consequence of a family looking for them when they "go missing."

Kai Hawke was one of these orphans, but she was raised within the walls of Trinity. Only a handful within the Academy were like her, having been a part of the Malapa Project. Then there was the Graduation Test…

"Kai!" came a familiar voice as a body pounced onto Kai's back, the impact making the girl stagger forward and brace her hands against the vending machine. Thin arms hugged her neck and a warm body against her back as the scent of vanilla wafted up her nose.

"Oof!...Mimi." Kai heaved.

Mimi giggled as she slid off Kai's back and pranced around to stand beside her. Kai narrowed her blue eyes at the gorgeous young mage. She would never admit it out loud but Kai was jealous of Mimi's looks and confidence. The young Tevinter mage had creamy coppery skin, olive green eyes that were lined with long thick lashes and full pouty lips under a cute button nose. She had long, curly black hair that was always shiny and felt like silk between her fingers. When comparing herself to Mimi, she felt plain at best. Kai was fair skin, with straight black hair that she could do nothing with to save her life (even though it was currently blue). Kai was the rowdy tomboy who had no problems being one of the guys and rolling in the mud while Mimi will always be the beautiful princess hosting tea parties.

"You look like the dead, were you out all night again?" Mimi asked.

"Obviously," Kai grumbled, bringing her nutri-pak to her lips and sucking out another slurp of bland, thick slurry as she walked back to their usual table where the rest of their friends were sitting.

"Let me fix you up at least so you look more alive." Mimi said, already reaching into her purse for her makeup.

Kai waved a hand of dismissal as she sat down beside Flynn.

"You can always decline a mission, Hawke." said Javan, a Qunari with pale mauve colored skin and dark brown eyes. He wasn't the only Qunari in the school but he didn't run with his own kind. He was like Kai, having been raised under the ever present watch of Trinity and had been part of the original Malapa Project though he did not participate in the Graduation. Javan and Kai had the longer history together, and thus their relationship had sprung from necessity and familiarity. Though it didn't stop them from becoming friends.

"No she can't, she's too stubborn and proud to turn down a mission handed to her on a silver platter." Flynn said, breaking off a corner of his dry wafer.

"There's a rumor going around that Hawke is a candidate for the Spectres." said Bjorn, an elf who came from New Arlathan. Like his people, he was slender and attractive. He had peachy skin and blonde hair that had been shaved into a long Mohawk and dyed mint green. Bjorn was much like Mimi, coming from a good family. Though unlike Mimi, he was no mage and his parents disapproved of Bjorn joining the Academy. Bjorn of course ran away from home to join the Academy and as further defiance to his parents he also pierced his pointed ears with many studs. He befriended Javan a year ago who introduced him to their trio. Mimi had joined their group around the same time, though she pretty much pushed her way into the group by following Kai like a puppy (much to Kai's annoyance at first).

"What?! Seriously?" Mimi asked, her green eyes wide with interest.

"Where did you hear that rumor?" Kai asked.

"From an upper classman this morning," Bjorn said, staring down at his tablet with a bored expression, playing a game with the sound on mute. "He said he had overheard his mentor talking about it."

"Can only imagine how jealous they must be." Flynn said around his bite of wafer.

"Kai, this is really exciting news!" Mimi said, looking at the only other girl in their group. Kai just shrugged her shoulders, too tired to think about it as she simply lowered her head onto the table.

Flynn chuckled and patted her back. "That's our Hawke, basking in the glow of pride."

"Hmm, I wanna know if the rumors are true now." Mimi said, tapping a well manicured finger to her chin.

"Who knows?" Bjorn shrugged, "They could be. We're only two years away from graduating the Academy and the military look at our mission records."

"Are you planning to go career, Bjorn?" Mimi asked.

"I'm considering it." Bjorn said.

"So you're not gonna pursue a career in the arts?" Kai asked, lifting her head off the table to look at the elf. "The play you wrote was really good, you should talk to Professor Zenobra, I'm sure she'll be happy to let you hold auditions and direct a school play."

Bjorn withheld a scowl, keeping up his mask of bored indifference as he turned off his tablet. "Like I said, I'm considering it."

"You wrote a play?" Mimi asked, looking at Bjorn. "And you didn't offer the lead female role?"

Bjorn rolled his eyes.

"Hmm, that just gave me an idea for a new chapter." Flynn said, pulling out his tablet from his bag and began tapping away on the screen.

"Literates and wannabe thespians," Javan sighed as he turned his head towards Kai. "How did we all become friends?"

"You can blame Cor for that one." Kai said just as the bell rang.

xxxxx

A body slammed down hard on the floor mat, the air forced from their lungs after being thrown. The whistle blew, ending the round. The loser of the match rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself up, glaring daggers at Kai who had already turned to walk away to her corner of the ring.

"If looks could kill," Flynn said, hanging out at Kai's corner. "Calisto's been gunnin' to take you out for years."

"Everyone needs a hobby." Kai said.

"You've gotta be the only chick here who can take down all of these chumps without flinching." Flynn said.

"Sounds like too much work, I think I'd rather just sit on my ass in front of the TV." Kai said, stretching her arms over her head and letting out a wide yawn.

"I don't know about you but I'd rather not have a whole lotta crazy fixating on me." Flynn said while eyeing Calisto from across the ring who had nothing but venom in her dark eyes. "She's the type that focuses in on one target and that target right now is you."

Kai remained to act unbothered by it. "She can hate on me all she wants, I did nothing to her to start with."

"You did a lot more than you realize. Don't you remember? Her boyfriend dumped her to ask you out last week. Then there was that time you bested her by one point on everything for a week. Oh—and then there was that time last year when you were picked to lead that espionage mission in Orlais." Kai gave Flynn a questioning look, raising an eyebrow at him. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talkin' about, Hawke. You and I both know that you like having bragging rights."

Kai snorted, "You can say whatever you like with that silver tongue."

Flynn waved a touting finger, "Hawke, you should learn when to be a graceful winner, especially when the loser is bitter. You need to watch your back around her."

"I thought that was your job." Kai teased with a smirk.

Flynn chortled and gave her a mock bow. "This fantastic dwarf will always have your back, Serah."

"Final round! Combatants to the center!" announced the proctor.

"Had enough already, Hawke?" taunted Calisto, tossing her blond braid over her shoulder.

Kai rolled her eyes, something about Calisto grated on her nerves. "Y'know what, Flynn?" Kai began as she handed her bottle back to the dwarf. "You're right, as always…I _do_ like to brag." Flynn grinned back at her with amusement as he watched his team leader turn away and walked back towards the center.

Flynn watched as his raven haired teammate take a stance against her psychotic opponent. Calisto was definitely a looker, Flynn couldn't deny that, with her bleach blond hair, creamy peach skin and smoldering dark grey eyes. Not to mention she had a great set of breasts. It was just a shame that all of that was wrapped around a whole lot of crazy.

"Begin!"

Calisto started off with a kick to Kai's stomach, only for Kai to be too quick as she blocked easily with her arms, taking a step back. Kai continued to dodge and parry Calisto's assault who was clearly all offense and no defense. She was fighting angry while Kai was keeping her cool. Calisto was showing her frustration with every punch, every kick. She hated Kai with a passion, wanting to see the cocky girl on her knees in defeat for once. She craved for victory against Hawke.

Calisto's head snapped back when Kai had dodged her again, stepping bolding into her space to plant an elbow into her nose. She felt warm blood trickle down from her nose as she staggered back, a hand to her face as she glared back at the cocky bitch who still kept her cool. She heard that mouthy dwarf in the corner, cheering his teammate on. Calisto bolted forward, planting her left foot down while tilting her upper body down and swinging up her right leg to kick Kai. As if seeing it in slow motion Calisto realized her mistake before she could even stop herself as Kai had a strong stance and caught her leg in her side, hooking her left arm around her lower leg.

Grey eyes widened in surprise when Kai caught her kick, cursing loudly as she found herself on the receiving end of the heel of Kai's palm to the joint of Calisto's knee. The instant pain that followed after the sound her kneecap dislocating was nothing to the impacted humiliation she was dealt with again by the hands of her rival as she fell to the floor again. With a feral scream ripping through her throat, Calisto pushed through her pain and rolled towards Kai, swiping her other leg and knocking Kai's feet from under her, _finally_ knocking her down.

Kai was caught off guard as she fell on her back with Calisto crawling on top of her and began to viciously pummel her with punches and clawing. Kai covered her face with her arms, trying to find an opening in between the frenzied assault. Unfortunately fighting crazy was a bit of a disadvantage, so instead of waiting Kai had to make her counterattack as she uncovered her face, swinging her arms down with force into Calisto's sides. Calisto screamed in surprise again as she recoiled from the strike giving Kai to opening she needed as she grabbed her wrists and pulled while lifting her upper half, colliding their skulls together.

White stars flashed in Kai's eyes from the stupid move but it was enough to stun Calisto as she pushed the crazed girl off of her. Kai rolled away, a bit in a daze with her head-butt as she staggered up onto her feet, trying to shake away the bursting lights in her eyes. Luckily Kai recovered before Calisto could as she walked over to the other girl and kicked her hard, making the other girl yelp in pain as she dropped to the mat completely, clutching her stomach.

Kai huffed as she turned and walked back to her corner, done with today's sparring class. She saw her dwarf teammate shake his head though he had a smirk on his lips. Kai licked the salt from her lips, wincing a bit at the sting she felt. She touched her lip with the tip of her tongue, tasting the metallic tang of blood, followed by her fingers as she touched the cut gingerly to see a bit of blood on her fingertips. Then again, some of it could be Calisto's since she did give that psycho a bloody nose.

"Crazy bitch finally drew blood." Kai muttered as she climbed out of the fighting ring.

"Ask Sparkplug to heal that cut, and that black eye. Never thought I'd see you lose your cool like that." Flynn said. "If I didn't know any better you actually do hate Calisto."

"What a horrible thing to say, Flynn," Kai said with mock offense as she walked ahead of Flynn as they left the gym, hiding the smug smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth.

xxxxx

"Is it another mission?" Kai asked groggily as she followed Cor who had woken her from her sleep. It was the middle of the night and she was disheveled from sleep.

"No, not a mission. More like an introduction." Cor said as he turned down another corridor to an empty mess hall where a Qunari stood, gazing out the window of the ship into the dark void of space. "Hawke, meet Ser Silas. He is the Spectre who will be evaluating you to see if you're fit to join them."

Kai blinked, looking up at the Qunari who had turned to face her and gave her a nod in acknowledgement.

"Shanedan, Serah Hawke." Silas greeted, "I look forward to seeing your skills with my own eyes."

"Shanedan, Ser Silas." Kai greeted back, though she was still struggling to wrap her head around this sudden news about the Spectres. "I had no idea that the Spectres were paying attention to someone like me."

"I would not have approached Commander Cor about submitting your name for candidacy if I did not think you worthy." Silas said, "Your track records are impressive for someone as young as yourself. Of course, I should not expect anything less from the lone survivor of the Graduation Test."

An involuntary tick in the corner of Kai's mouth did not go unnoticed by the seasoned Spectre. "But why me?" Kai asked, now fully awake. "There are other co-ops in this school who have been on more missions than me."

"It's not the number of missions that the Spectres are looking for, it is results. You have what it takes to get the job done no matter what. You have a resolve that none of your peers possess, not even your seniors in this school have grasped what true grit is."

"You mentioned the Graduation Test…so then you know what happened."

"Yes." Silas said with a nod, "Another reason why someone like you will do well in the Spectres' ranks."

"A monster, you mean." Kai said, standing rigidly in place. "I'm well aware of what the teachers whisper behind my back and the rumors floating around this school about the legendary Graduation."

Silas allowed an amused smile to pull at one corner of his mouth. "Don't worry, the Spectres have better things to focus on than to worry on whether or not you have your humanity intact. We merely care about results and completing the assignment given to us by the Citadel Council. It is why I agreed with Commander Cor about you _possibly_ joining our order."

"So this is all riding on a _maybe?_ " Kai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Take it however you want, just know that I will be watching." Silas said.

 **xxxxx**

Sitting alone in her room, Kai stared out the window at the barren wasteland that the Academy stood within. The Academy was an ancient castle that is historically known as Weisshaupt Fortress, a former base of the legendary Grey Warden Order. An ancient order that had died out centuries ago. In the years of Trinity's rise the corporation had joined forces with the military and converted the abandoned castle into a boarding school. Like the majority of the students boarding in the school, Kai is an orphan. Cor had told her that he had found her abandoned while on a mission and had brought her back, giving her a second chance at life and pretty much had been involved with her life ever since.

He always checked in on her when she was growing up. Even when she was in the Malapa Project he had been watching over her. He was the closest thing to a father-figure she had. He was the only adult she trusted without question. Without question…maybe she should question.

Kai pondered about that meeting with Silas, wondering still as to why he would want her of all potential candidates? As far as the teenager knew, there were better people more suited for the honor than her. Kai wasn't the smartest in her class, hell, there were kids grades below her who were smarter than her. She wasn't the strongest or fastest nor was she the most experienced in the field. Sure, she has some rather impressive scores in battle simulators but it was nothing to sniff at. In truth, she didn't think herself anything special or out of the ordinary in her class. If they were looking for an intelligent candidate they could have chosen Flynn. He was the smartest in her class and quite possibly the smartest in the entire school.

If they wanted someone versatile, they could have chosen Mimi. The Tevinter mage was skilled in both combat and spellcraft. Javan was resourceful, strong, and smart, able to make use of whatever was accessible to him. Bjorn was an enigma. He had a quiet strength that made him both dangerous and unassuming to his enemies and knew how to read people and situations like an open book.

Kai struggled to see what Cor and Silas saw in her. All she could think about was that she was just too stubborn to run away. Sometimes it felt like she just blindly hacked away at everything just to get the job done. Most of the time she succeeded out of sheer luck.

"They're mistaken if they think I'd make a good Spectre." she grumbled to herself.

Having only heard about the rumor that morning and then the rumor being confirm just minutes ago…it was a lot to take in. On one hand, she was excited. A human hadn't been considered for candidacy in decades, not to mention she was the youngest! On the other hand she was apprehensive. The missions she had been on were nothing impressive or high-profile in her mind. She couldn't help if there was perhaps this was all a mistake.

xxxxx

Huffing, Mimi flipped her curly locks over her shoulder after sitting down next to Kai at their usual table. The mage had just told off another boy in her class to take a hike because she wasn't interested in their infatuation and only looked for mature and stylish "men." It always made her feel good to bring up other's insecurities. It was the Tevinter in her, always needing to flounce her superiority. Looking back at her friend, who wasn't paying attention to her and simply staring at her tablet, the mage couldn't help but notice that the other girl had been quieter than usual for the past few days. Mimi leaned her shoulder against Kai's, looking at Kai's profile. She silently took in the other girl, admiring the straight bridge of her nose, the soft pink of her lips, and her piercing cerulean blue eyes.

Mimi knew that she was incredibly shallow and vain, and when the mage found herself in a public situation where she wasn't the center of attention would put her in a bad mood. Though she also knew when to give up the limelight in favor of someone who deserved it (but only for a short period before taking it back). Kai wasn't like that. Kai was never like that. Kai was her first and only truest friend since coming together in this ragtag team overseen by Cor, and a year was enough time to know each other's tells by the smallest of things. At least for Mimi it was.

"What's been weighing you down lately?" Mimi asked.

Kai didn't reply right away, letting a few moments pass before releasing a sigh and leaning forward to rest her cheek against her knuckles. "A lot of things…mostly dumb things."

"Like what?" Mimi asked.

Kai let out a sigh, heavier than she intended. She wanted to tell someone about her candidacy for Spectre, but because it was a secret for now she had to bite her tongue on the subject. Luckily her friends had seemed to forgotten the rumor or simply had moved on from it. But she still wished she could at least confide in Mimi about her insecurity. Mimi had always been a source of relief when it came to talking things out, it was a comforting "girl thing" they did together. "Don't worry about it." she said, smiling over her shoulder at the mage, dismissing the conversation as she stood up just in time for the first bell to announce their break was over. "Let's get to class."

xxxxx

Before the last class began Kai received a text from Cor that she had a mission to prepare for immediately followed by the email he sent that would excuse her from class so that she could get ready. Showing the teacher the email she was given permission to leave. It wasn't unusual to be excused from class for missions. It was quite normal. Everyday a handful of students would be dismissed from class when assigned a mission.

Kai returned to her room and made a beeline for her closet, sliding the door open to reveal her uniform. A black jumpsuit that fit like a second skin, an under armor that was made from a strong blend of materials that stretched and breathed and was resistant to everything from magic to the sharp slice of a knife. The armor itself was also black and made from a metal ore that was mined from meteors. The metal was light but incredibly strong and was also flexible, making movement easy. After putting on her gear and snapping her utility belt securely on her hips she finished it off with her helmet, fitting a black earpiece to her right ear that, when the nodule was turned, it immediately transforms into her helmet. Without a second to waste she grabbed her black duffel bag with her weapons and supplies, always ready for anything, and left her room to head out to the hangar below the Academy.

xxxxx

Thedas no longer was hospitable, since the land itself was poisoned by five more blights since the Ninth Age, plus two nuclear wars of which one caused a nuclear winter that lasted almost two hundred years. Thedas had gone through quite the beating and was on the brink of death. Trees, grass and other flora would no longer grow in the poisoned soil. The air was no longer safe to breathe without an O2 mask; and what was left of civilization had been crammed into domed cities. Farms now only produced synthetic food that would then be processed into food pills, clean water was a limited, valuable resource and thus hydration capsules were made. No one knew what real food tasted like; no one knew what it felt like to stand in the rain without it melting their skin. The smell of "fresh air" carried the putrid stench of rot and rust.

To indulge in anything was foreign to everyone.

Crowding and overpopulation was a major issue in all the cities in Thedas which resulted in higher taxes and an increase in the homeless and unemployed. Crime was at its highest making no one safe in the domed cities. Laws had been placed in population control, restricting families from having more than one child per household and requiring permission to conceive. The men and women living in poverty, who couldn't afford children, were often punished by fines that they couldn't pay and then imprisoned. Both genders sterilized and, if the woman was pregnant, the pregnancy would be aborted. No exceptions.

Kai glanced around at the other soldiers in the aircraft they were in while listening to the brief on the mission they were going on. It wasn't unusual to be part of group mission, and Kai was fine with that, it had just been a year since she worked with other people. She had been given a lot of solo missions and had gotten used to working alone, but that didn't mean she couldn't adjust accordingly. Only difference was that today she was a little on edge because Silas was present. That could only mean that he will be watching her from start to finish. He will be deciding her fate and judge whether she is Spectre material or not.

This was it then.

This will be the mission that will make or break her barely budding military career.

Did she even want to go career?

She never really gave it much thought of what she wanted to do with her life. It had always been directed for her by Trinity and Cor. Training, missions, school, trying to get enough sleep in between—such a life left little contemplation about one's future ambitions.

"—There has been a security breech inside on the Trinity's compounds. We lost all communications ten hours ago." Cor explained, "There is a possibility that there has been an outbreak and so proceed with caution. We don't know what went down in there, but what we do know is that if there are any survivors inside then it is our unfortunate task to exterminate them for they are a possible threat to humanity. We have been given our specific orders. The higher ups have given you twenty-four hours to complete your mission before you have to evacuate. Any questions?"

"What happens after twenty-four hours?" a soldier asked, a boy Kai recognized as an upper classman, a senior. Just months away from graduating and moving on from the Academy. What are his future ambitions? His dreams? Did he have plans that did not mean following the military path?

"That's classified." Cor said, "All you need to do is get to the master computer and download its files and then get your asses out of there before the window closes. Is that clear?"

" **Ser! Yes, Ser!"** They all said together.

Their aircraft soon landed outside the compound in Redcliff. As they disembarked onto the tarmac, Kai glanced quickly over at Silas, catching his eye before turning to look ahead. She turned the dial on her earpiece to engage her helmet, the protective gear materializing with nanotechnology, turning on immediately and encasing her head She had already armed herself on the aircraft like the others before landing. Her guns secure in their holsters on her thighs, her dual daggers crossed on her back, her belt full of pellet bombs and emergency supplies. She flicked her wrists experimentally and a throwing knife materialized in each hand instantly thanks to the enchantment Mimi had put into her tattoos on her forearms. With another flick of her wrists the knives vanished.

From the tarmac they boarded a tram that then took them underground to the compound facility that was a mile below the surface. Kai took note that Cor and Silas were still with them though she did not dare to look at either of them. She needed to prepare herself. The tram stopped at the end of the track at a platform where a group of other military personnel had booths set up with computers and communication radios. Beyond that were a set of heavy steel doors with a team of soldiers facing the door with their weapons held at rest in the hands. The team of fifteen were then split into two groups, and Kai was in the first group to go inside the compound. They were then each given a small camera that was attached to the front of their armor in the middle of their chest, small enough to forget its presence. Though Kai wondered why they needed extra cameras when their helmets recorded everything and could easily be streamed live.

The soldiers standing guard at the door then raised their weapons, pointing them at the entrance as the locks were released and slowly the metal doors began to slide apart. They were opened wide enough to let the first team inside before sliding them shut and sealing the only route of escape.

 _Great…_ Kai thought, _Whatever the hell is down here we're now trapped._

xxxxx

Not even an hour into the recon mission and Kai's group quickly discovered what became of the people who went missing. They were crazed and out for flesh, attacking them unprovoked. One soldier had been taken down and his attackers were viciously piling on top of him, ripping into him with their teeth and nails, eating him alive. His screams the only thing that could be heard as Kai and the rest shot them down with their guns, quickly killing them for good but the sounds of their gunshots had attracted others inside. It was clear at that point that any survivors within the compound were compromised.

Kai knelt down by one of the dead scientists, taking a closer look and allowing the scanners in her helmet to analyze it. From what the scanners picked up the scientist had died from darkspawn blood poisoning, but the levels it was reading were off the charts. This was definitely more than a simple outbreak. Their skins were ashen and their veins were easily seen through the waxy film, the veins visibly black. The skins around their mouths were also colored black and their eyes were bloodshot.

"Maker…what the hell happened in here?" one of the soldiers wondered aloud.

"Whatever happened it's clear that nobody inside this facility will be able to tell us." said another.

"If I had to guess I'd say there was a viral outbreak." said a female soldier who turned away from a bloodied window that showed a gruesome scene of bodies that had been torn apart by Maker-knows-what.

"We need to get to the master computer and find out what happened."

"Hey," one of the soldiers tapped Kai's shoulder, getting her attention. "Don't fall behind."

Kai stood up and nodded.

"The readings show that the air is clear."

"Helmets off, let's do a head count before heading in further."

Everyone touched the side of their helmets, revealing everyone's face to each other. Kai was reluctant to do so but did anyway. There seemed to be a pause of silence as everyone glanced around at each other.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Monster of Malapa." one sneered. He was a human who had a shaved head and hazel brown eyes. He was average in looks and was obviously an upper classman from the Academy. He was someone Kai didn't recognize, and quite honestly, thought to be easily forgettable. Unfortunately Kai didn't have that luxury in some cases. Her reputation preceded her most often and not the flattering type. "I don't see how a little girl like you is so special."

Kai glanced around at all the staring faces, seeing that she was quite possibly the youngest in their group. Though she wasn't without a spine as she stood up a little taller on her feet and subtly squared her shoulders.

"Leave her alone Ray." said the only boy Kai recognized from the Academy. It's a shame she didn't know his name.

"Don't expect any of us to slow down for you, _princess."_ Ray said before reactivating his helmet and moving forward. The rest of their squad followed suit.

"Hey, don't let Ray get to you. He's just a jerk with a superiority complex." said the upper classman. Looking up at him Kai noticed that he had rather kind eyes for a soldier and an unusual color; violet. He had a healthy, golden complexion and full pink lips and a head of thick, brown hair. "Your name's Hawke, right?" Kai nodded and he smiled at her, revealing that his smile was slightly crooked with the right corner higher than the left. "I'm Jameson. I've seen you around the Academy."

"Hurry up or we'll leave you behind!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Jameson said, reactivating his helmet. Kai did the same, glad to hide behind the mask. "I'll watch your back if you watch mine. Deal?"

"Let's just get this over with."

xxxxx

(5 hours later)

Kai struggled to calm her breathing as she, Jameson, Ray and what remained of their crew huddled in the room where the master computer was. It had been a fight to get to this room and they had lost more than half of the fifteen they started with. The scientists and other employees that had been trapped in the compound were all tainted by whatever experiment that had been set loose. Kadyn, another soldier Kai didn't know, had turned on the computer and began the downloading process but in doing so he had woken up the computer's "brain." The Brain then revealed to them that it had activated the compounds security defense system and terminated everyone inside to "contain" the infection.

"So then what, we're looking at another Blight?" Ray asked his voice gruff with irritation.

" _If the contamination were to get out then yes."_ the Brain replied. _"As we speak Trinity is preparing for the worst case scenario and to prevent the spread of contamination they will be implementing affirmative action."_

"And what the fuck is the backup plan?" Ray demanded.

" _Trinity will eradicate all traces of the Blight with nuclear action."_

There was an immediate drop of silence and Kai felt like she had just been punched in the gut as she leaned heavily back against the concrete wall. They were trapped. There was no way they were going to make it out of this compound alive. There was no room to dream of a future that she chose for herself.

"How much time do we have before Trinity launches the nuke?" Jameson asked, seeming to be the only one keeping his cool.

" _Trinity has weighed the loss and risk factor and will be launching within the next seventeen hours and twenty-three minutes."_

"We need to get out of here. Is it done downloading the files?" Jameson asked, looking at Kadyn.

"Almost done." Kadyn confirmed.

" _I'm sorry to say that none of you will make it to the surface for I cannot allow the risk of any of you carrying the contamination."_

"Shut it down. Now!" Ray ordered and Kayden shut the computer down just as the last file had finishing uploading into the USB drive. "Let's move. I'm not letting some stupid machine get in my way."

Jameson turned towards Kai and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get out of here. Don't you worry."

"As nice as that sentiment is it's better to be practical." Kai said, doing her best to keep calm and rather proud of herself that her voice didn't give her away because she was falling apart on the inside. This was a nightmare beyond her worst imagining coming to life. Kai pulled away from Jameson's hand and walked over towards the single door that was their only exit from the room. She checked the magazine of her guns, both were half spent of bullets. And she only had one full magazine left in her left thigh pouch. There was only the four of them left.

"When was the last communication to command central?" Kai asked.

"Just before shutting the computer down I sent a message to the Commander that we've retrieved the files." Kadyn said.

Jameson pulled up the holographic schematics of the compound, the four yellow dots on the hologram was where they were currently located, just three floors above the basement. The red dots were all the infected that were roaming each and every floor that would take them back to base. It was disheartening to see how many red dots and floors were between them and the exit.

"Follow my orders." Ray said, preparing to undo the latch of the door but was stopped when Kai shoved him away from the door.

"I don't think so." Kai said, "Following your orders is what got everybody else on this squad killed. You're too blind by your ego to see that you're a poor leader."

"You think you can lead us back alive?" Ray challenged, eyes burning with anger. "You think you can fight through that horde out there? We're all low on ammunition and close combat puts us at risk of infection."

"Then keep your armor on." Kai said, going up to Jameson and converting the hologram schematics to show the pipelines. "We can bypass the horde by staying high and using the pipes to navigate back to the surface." She looked back at Ray and then at the other two. "You can follow me or you can find your own way out. It's your choice."

xxxxx

(3 hours later)

The four of them managed to get up three levels using the pipelines to navigate around the horde, though the higher they went the more of the infected they encountered. They eventually came to what appeared to be the center of the compound's pipe system with a drop that was so deep that they couldn't see the bottom and could only assume that it went as far as the basement—maybe further. Across the drop was an entryway with a painted sign in block lettering "To Stairwell," and to get there they had to walk across a narrow pipeline that looked like it could only handle one person crossing it at a time.

Ray, of course, went first, holding his arms out to his side to keep balance as he slowly made his way across. The pipe creaked and moaned under his weight but it held up. Next followed Kadyn and then Kai was about to go when they heard the familiar groans and gurgling growls of the infected horde echoing towards their direction. It didn't take long for them to catch up to the four because as soon as the four soldiers had heard them they appeared.

"Run!" Jameson said, already crossing the pipe as fast as he can, nearly losing his balance while Kai pulled out her gun and began shooting, trying to slow them down to give what was left of her team a chance to escape.

"Hawke! Hurry!" Jameson called back to her. Kai turned and began to cross the pipe, just a yard ahead of the horde that clumsily went after her, falling into the pit below. Their collective weight shaking the pipe and making Kai's foot slip and fall. She acted fast by hugging the pipe and had to worm her way across only a foot away from the ledge before the pipe finally gave in and broke away. Kai let out a frightened yelp but Jameson had lunged forward and grabbed her hand at the last second.

"They're still trying to get across!" Kadyn said.

"Come on! Let's get out of here!" Ray called, his voice already growing distant.

Jameson struggled to hold onto Kai's hand as he tried to pull her up but was losing his grip. The sight of the infected drawing nearer only heightened the urgency but it was clear that it was coming down to two options: let Kai die and save himself or they both die. Looking from the horde to Kai, he made his decision with a heavy heart.

"I'm sorry." he said, seeing Kai's blue eyes widen at the realization of what he was about to do.

"No—no!" Kai screamed as Jameson loosened his grip on her hand and allowed her to slip. Kai's hand slid from Jameson's and she plummeted into the darkness, her screams fading the further she fell until nothing. Jameson pulled himself up and ran from the approaching horde.

Kai hit the bottom of the pit hard. The fall should have killed her but it didn't. The pipes she hit on the way down slowed her descent, plus her desperate attempts to claw at the walls and then smashing through the grate broke her fall before hitting the floor of the basement. Kai knew she was in the basement mainly because it was plainly written on the walls in block lettering. She could only guess that she wasn't alone and figured she had little time to pick herself up and get moving before something came her way. No doubt all the noise she made would have attracted something in her direction.

Picking herself up, Kai scanned her surroundings but couldn't see through her helmet as the screen had been cracked and damaged from the fall. She twisted the dial at her ear to deactivate and retract her helmet from her face so that she could see. Pain shot up her entire right side from the hard landing as she limped as fast as she could, cautiously peering down the dim corridor.

 _If I get out of this alive I'm gonna kill Jameson._ Kai thought as she pulled out her handgun and made her way down the corridor. She reached the locked door and made to grab the door handle but jumped back in alarm when she saw a monstrous creature on the other side clawing at the Plexiglas window on the door, trying to get in to get to her. Cursing under her breath Kai turned and ran back down the corridor to the basement room and frantically looked around for an alternate exit. She heard the door finally break down and Kai whipped around with her gun aimed and squeezed the trigger, firing bullet after bullet at the creature.

xxxxx

(14 hours later)

Silas followed Kai's tracker to the fifth floor, already he had encountered a number of the infected, killing them on sight. When Ray, Kadyn and Jameson emerged saying they were the last survivors of their squad, Silas immediately knew that they didn't know that Kai was still alive. Her suit's monitor were still relaying signals that she was alive—injured, but alive. Cor guessed that Kai must have gotten separated from the others while inside while the three young soldiers said that they had assumed she died. Silas decided to go in and find her and Cor didn't stop him.

That had been an hour ago and they were running out of time.

The Qunari knew how important it was for Kai's survival, having been given specific orders from Councilman Ykut in secret to ensure that she survived no matter the cost. That was the sole reason why he had come along on this mission, not to evaluate Kai's performance, but to ensure the girl's survival. As he drew nearer, he took notice of all the dead bodies strewn on the floor until his tracker indicated that he was where he needed to be. He cautiously entered one of the lab rooms, finding the room flooded with water and the walls splattered with black blood. Hiding in the corner, curled up in the murky water was Kai, shivering and obviously traumatized but alive.

He went over to her, the sound of the water sloshing alerting her as she turned frightened eyes up at him with a shard of broken glass in her hand. He raised his hands up to show her that he meant her no harm.

"Hawke, I'm getting you out of here." he said as gently as he could, extending out his hand to her. Silas saw the relief on her face as she stood up from the water and reached for his offered hand. It was then that Silas saw just how young Kai truly was. No longer was she data on a screen but a real person. A child. He turned and knelt down in front of her, letting her climb onto his back with a pained groan, her skinny arms wrapping around his neck and her legs hugging his hips as he hooks his hands under her knees and stood up tall.

Retracing his steps quickly, Silas and Hawke returned to the platform to take the train back to the surface. The first floor was already secured with the remaining soldiers still keeping guard until they returned from the compound and got onto the train. On the train, Silas had sat Kai down on the seat and looked her over for any external injuries, seeing only a few minor cuts and bruises that were already beginning to heal. He saw no signs of infection in her, only a traumatized girl.

When the train stopped outside the compound on the surface Kai's legs gave out, her adrenaline rush had leeched away her strength and Silas carried her out to the waiting aircraft. Cor was already waiting outside the craft with the other three survivors. The shock on their faces at the sight of Kai filled the girl with a white hot rage as she pushed herself away from Silas. She grabbed Silas' gun from his hip holster and shot the three boys without hesitation. All three boys fell to the ground, each clutching a leg where she had shot them. Kai handed Silas his gun over her shoulder before walking past the boys, groaning in pain as she boarded the aircraft.


	3. Chapter 2 - You've Got Mail

Chapter Two – You've Got Mail

Mimi hugged Kai tightly as she and their friends stood in the station underneath the Academy, each saying their goodbyes to their friend. Javan gave Kai a bone crushing hug while Bjorn's hug in comparison was light but still warm. When Kai came to Flynn, they didn't hug or exchange farewells.

"I'll be sure to check every dark corner for you, Hawke." Flynn said, grinning up at Kai as he held up his fist. Kai laughed and bumped her fist to his.

"I'll be sure to look extra cool, just for you." Kai said, winking at the dwarf playfully.

Mimi pulled the other two closer so that the five of them stood, huddled in a circle as the mage took the lead to hold out her right hand with her palm up, revealing the tattoo. The rest of them did the same, showing off their matching tattoos.

"Remember, so long as these lines remain, we'll know that we're all alive and well. These lines keep us connected no matter where we all are." Mimi said.

The five of them did one last group hug before Kai had to jar herself away to go to where Silas stood waiting for her. Beside Silas stood Cor, who gave her a nod of his head in acknowledgment.

"I know I don't say it enough, but I'm proud of you kiddo." Cor said, "Now go out there and make us all proud."

"Thanks, Cor. I guess this is goodbye." Kai said.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again, and maybe I'll be the one taking orders from you." Cor said, giving her a crooked grin.

Kai took one last look back at her friends before finally turning away and leaving them behind. She had passed Silas's evaluation and joined the Spectres. Now she was to report to the Presidium Ring that floated in space over Thedas, where the main headquarters of the Spectres' was located. There, she would begin training in her new career with the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance.

Boarding the train, Kai quickly found her seat and Silas took the seat beside her. She had only been to the Presidium Ring once for her first solo mission when she was ten. Her task back then was to deliver a package at a drop-off site. Of course no one had informed her that the drop-off site was inside a brothel. The so-called "Matriarch" of the brothel was the one that Kai was to deliver the package to, and that was the end of Kai's first solo mission. Kai never found out what was inside the package or why she had to deliver it into a brothel, but since that mission she had been on more varying levels.

When the train began to lurch forward it pulled Kai out of her memories. She looked out of the passenger window, watching as the train pulled out of Weisshaupt Station and within a matter of seconds had accelerated its speed. The landscape was ugly and desolate. Unable to support nor sustain life. It was nothing but a poisonous wasteland. And soon she was going to say farewell to her ugly planet for Maker knows how long since her training will be keeping her busy in the Presidium Ring.

xxxxx

Kai bolted upright in bed, her skin covered in a layer of cold sweat as she took shallow breaths. Tasting sour in the back of her throat she jumped out of her bed and rushed into the bathroom, dropping to her knees in front of the toilet to wretch. It was the same nightmare again, haunting her sleep night after night. Those twenty-some-odd hours were hard to block. It had taken her weeks to recover mentally from that experience, the doctors having forced her to take anti-anxiety, anti-depressants, and anti-psychotics, along with sleep aids daily while she was going through treatment from that trauma. Not to mention the weeks it took to wean off of those drugs. She could still smell the curdled blood and rotting flesh; and every time she blinked she could still see the blood red eyes looking straight at her. Though now she no longer saw the faces of the dead scientists of that compound, now she saw the faces of her first victims…the young, blank faces staring back at her…Her mind was cruelly merging her past traumas together. The Graduation and Redcliff were blurring together, making her wish she was still on those mind-numbing drugs.

At least she got to shoot the bastards who left her to die.

Still shaking, she scooted herself into the shower stall and turned on the enzyme cleanser, letting the gray, murky cloud engulf her, cleaning away the sweat from her skin and hair before evaporating into nothing. Kai hugged her knees to her chest, wondering if she will one day be able to escape the past. After Silas had rescued her and secured her in the plane, she had broken down from the whole ordeal, crying into Cor's shoulder while the other three from her team had no choie but to listen to her sobbing. They had been equally traumatized when they escaped the underground lab, although maybe it had to do with the fact that they had stayed together while Kai had been abandoned by them, left to die while she struggled to survive the attacks from a horde of mutated darkspawn and the revived dead from the darkspawn blood that had been modified.

To be on your own in that place for hours, fighting for your life and practically running scared…Kai wasn't at all surprised that she hadn't quite gotten over it even ten years later. At least she didn't see any zombies at every corner during the day anymore.

Once she felt herself calm down she got up and returned to her room but she couldn't go back to sleep. Kai figured she might as well kill time and let her mini adrenaline rush wear off as she turned on her computer, a hologram screen popping up over her smooth desk surface. She wasted time playing online games, her current favorite being Knights' Vigilance, an interactive RPG. Because of her unfortunate insomnia her character's level was at its max and her game account was continuously growing. Maybe it was time to create a new character? Before Kai made the decision to restart a new game she received an email alert. Switching windows, she pulled up her email account and saw the new email that had no subject line attached. Even more curious there was no sender attached as well, it was all anonymous.

"Well, this can't lead to anything good." Kai said to herself as she clicked on the envelope icon to open its content. Inside had an attachment with just a short message: **It's time to know the truth.** She opened the attachment file and immediately the folder opened to dozens of files. She clicked on the first one with her name attached to it and began reading the contents. After a few lines her eyes began to widen as the contents quickly sunk in.

 _Commander C. Arterius returned from his mission, bringing back a new specimen just days old. The female specimen is in perfect health; her tissue and blood have been archived. The female subject has been taken into the Malapa Project._

Kai read through the files on herself, scrolling through the file she continued reading her documented history in the Malapa Project and the experiments that had been done on her. The one that horrified her the most was the page where it explained in great detail how the scientists in Trinity had injected her with modified darkspawn blood when she was three years old. The next few pages detailed the following weeks after the injection, recording her vitals, examining her blood and how the cells bonded with the modified darkspawn blood.

She opened another file that was barely a page long but it held information that shook Kai to her core. It detailed Kai's origin, her parents…she was never abandoned like she had been told. She had been taken from her parents while they slept, taken by—

"That son of a bitch…" Kai breathed, feeling anger boiling up inside her chest. If only she had the foresight to shoot Cor right after Redcliff as well. She kept reading and learned yet another shocking fact; she wasn't born in this era. Her real date of birth is 09:35 Dragon. That can't be right. She kept reading until she reached the end of the report. She reread the report, hoping to find a clue about her parents but found nothing beyond what she had read. "If this is all true then time travel is a real thing…and Trinity is abducting children from the past for their sick experiments."

She opened and read through file after file until her alarm clock went off; making her realize that she had been up all night— _again._ Not wanting to risk being hacked she downloaded the attachment into an empty USB drive before deleting the email. A tired yawn escaped her and she reached into her desk drawer for a bottle of caffeine pills, popping one into her mouth and swallowing the capsule dry before getting ready. Though the knowledge she now had will be on her mind, distracting her.

This was going to be a long day.

xxxxx

It was turning into a rather oddly crowded morning in the Presidium. There were a lot more people up at this early hour (was it early? It was difficult to keep time in this place). Normally at this hour the Presidium Commons would be quiet with just a few sentinel guards doing their rounds, but today there were more than just the guards; workers, politicians, civilians, _everybody_ was up. Was it a holiday she forgot about? When she was crossing through the central commons she found that the mass of cloistered bodies was too dense for her to push her way through but stopped when she noticed that everyone was giving their undivided attention to the giant screen. Looking up it took Kai a few seconds to read the headline underneath the news anchor. **Terrorist Attack in Fereldan Capital: Denerim City under siege of chaos.**

"… _There is not much information to go on other than a radical group of terrorists have in fact attacked Denerim City. Fereldan's military units have been dispatched to seize control of the chaos. Eyewitness reports are streaming in with many claiming that it was all very sudden with no warning. We will continue broadcasting updates as more information comes in."_

Kai turned back and hurried down a different route to her destination. It was a little longer but at the very least she could avoid the bulk of the crowd.

"Man, I had no idea there was this many people living here." Kai muttered to herself.

"Hawke!" someone said, catching up to Kai. Kai visibly scowled when she saw it was Nikolai Jameson. After he graduated a few years ago he had joined the Federation Air Force and was now a pilot, flying military cargo ships to and from Thedas. He had been stationed to the Presidium months ago and by a chance encountered one evening as the pilot flying her to her mission location, began the annoying dance of avoidance. Kai had once allowed herself to wonder why someone like him wouldn't seek a life beyond the military. Jameson had not been part of the Malapa Project. He had choices beyond a military career. He could have been a scholar, a teacher, a celebrity starring in his own film. He wasn't bound like Kai was. He had the blessing of opportunity.

The young man was, in a sense, a really good guy. Not to mention incredibly good looking with a boyish charm that made Kai's stomach quiver with nerves.

Still…she hadn't forgiven him for Redcliff, even after she had shot him.

"Hawke, did you see the news?" he asked.

"Yes, a terrorist attack. How terrible." Kai said dryly while she continued to walk briskly. Jameson grabbed her arm and pulled her aside, facing him.

"It is terrible and I need to talk to you urgently." he said.

Kai shook off his hand from her arm. "Whatever it is can wait. I have to report in for duty."

"Hawke, please. I need to know if you received a weird email this morning." That made Kai pause as she considered him for a moment. "You did, didn't you? Did yours detail about how you're also from a thousand years ago? Abducted as a baby? Was it Cor's report that was attached in the files?"

"I—I gotta go." Kai said, not knowing what else to do but run away as she shoved Jameson away and hurried off. That was too much of a coincidence. Or was it…?

xxxxx

"Shanedan, Hawke." Silas greeted as Kai approached the Citadel Tower.

"Good morning." Kai said. Silas motioned for Kai to step into the elevator first before entering after her, the door sliding shut and immediately the lift began its ascent.

"I read your report about the smuggler ring you stopped. It was impressive." Silas said, "Though your wording seemed rather…exaggerated."

Kai snorted, "Councilman Emmerett complained my last report was dry and lacked detail. Something about being too direct. I think the old codger just wants something exciting."

"It's obvious that you didn't write that report. Was it that dwarf friend of yours? The one who always has something clever to say?"

"Guilty. Flynn insisted after reading my actual report. My dry and to the point paragraph. I didn't realize he had switched discs until it was too late."

"You allow too much leniency to your friends. It would be suggested that you choose subordinates who follow the rules."

"I have heard your suggestion, Silas, I will consider it for later and file it for data usage." Kai said, flashing the Spectre a smile though they both knew that she wasn't going to take his advice. When the lift stopped at their designated floor, Kai was the first to exit from the elevator and not even a few steps out did she hear someone calling her name.

"Hawke! About time!"

Kai looked to her left to see Javan, grinning at her as he approached her with a tablet in his hand. Javan joined the ranks of Spectre a year after graduating from the Academy and proven to be an asset to the organization with his knowledge of engineering. Though his hobbies of crafting new machinery did tend to garner more attention than the Spectres liked, especially when the Federation had made an offer for him to join them. Fortunately for Kai, Javan was loyal to his friends and had reassured Kai on more than one occasion after joining the Spectres that he will always have her back.

"Morning." she greeted.

"I was hoping to find you first, wanted to tell you that the new prototype is ready for a trial run. You in?" the Qunari asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Seriously? Didn't that last trial run end in flames? Literally?" Kai asked, though the grin on her face betrayed any sense of apprehension.

"Yeah, but you're okay now." Javan said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"That was just a week ago and I'm just now getting my sense of smell back." Kai said.

"Great! I'll get the gear ready. I'll even bring a fire extinguisher this time."

"Hey, Jav," Kai said before the Qunari could turn to leave. "Have you seen Flynn yet?"

"Not since last night after I kicked his ass in Kingsglaive. Why?"

For a split second Kai thought about asking if he received a strange email but decided against it, thinking it best to bring it up when the whole gang was together. "Nothing. Just wondering."

"Sometimes I feel like you play favorites with us." Javan teased.

"Make a prototype that won't burst into flames and then we'll revisit playing favorites." Kai said "I'll see you later, Jav."

"Later, Hawke." the Qunari said before heading off, leaving Kai on her own. Turning around, Kai headed towards the charter booths. After entering her identification number and password she checked for listings of missions. She knew about a "secret" roster that Flynn often tried to get her to take part in. It was a pool of hits on criminals that pretty much anyone can take part in, so long as there was proof of the kill. Normally mercenaries and bounty hunters partook in the game, but there were occasions when military personnel's took interest. Sometimes there were even postings of a reward for the death of a politician or rival noble, which were normally taken by free-lance mercenaries. Kai on the other hand avoided those listings, choosing to stick with what the Council passed her way instead.

Kai's mind went back to the email and the files she had read that morning. It disturbed her that someone had been able to hack into military files that were supposed to be under lock and key, and then distributed them to her and who knows who else. She then thought of Jameson, asking her about receiving a strange email. Did he get her files? Did he read what Trinity did to her? Or did he receive buried secrets of his personal past? Was he also a subject of Trinity's sick experiments, too? So many questions that will obviously have long, complicated answers.

With nothing of interest or urgency listed, Kai logged out and headed off to one of the sequestered rooms she usually used to meet her teammates, or simply to hide away from people. The room was neat and sparse. Clean, almost sterile looking couches lined two walls with an L-shaped coffee table in front of it. The walls were painted purple, bare of any pictures or paintings. A large, flat screen television hung on the wall across from the couches, currently tuned into some trash network of a reality show about a bunch of spoiled, bored Orlesian housewives. Mimi was in the room, not at all watching the show while she daintily filed her manicure.

The Tevinter mage was now an ambassador in the Council, having charmed her way into her current position without using her family connections. Though rarely did she bother with the politics, often using Kai as an excuse for choosing such a career. Kai never questioned the mage's motives, but was thankful to have her only female friend close by.

"Honestly, that tramp, Angelica—she needs to be tested for an STD. Sleeping around like she does even when her husband totally knows and is having affairs of his own." Mimi muttered, "Hawke, I'm bored. Take me along on one of your deadly missions. I wanna kill somebody. or sleep with somebody. Maybe both."

"Sorry, M, I don't have any missions lined up just yet." Kai said, taking a seat beside Mimi on the couch with a tired sigh and reclined back, resting her arms up along the top of the couch and resting her head back.

Mimi huffed before she moved to straddle Kai's lap, pressing her front against Kai's while lowering her head close, the noses just a hair's width from touching. Mimi had grown into a beautiful woman with voluptuous curves. Having always been the "hot" girl in school had evolved into a dangerous beauty of temptation. No man or woman have resisted her allure, which Mimi used to her full advantage.

"How about you, Hawke?" she purred, stroking the side of Kai's face while she suggestively ground her crotch into Kai's lap. "Will you help a friend satisfy one of her needs?"

Kai parted her lips to reply but her words were halted before they were ever formed when Mimi kissed her ever so sweetly with her plump lips. Mimi slid her tongue into Kai's mouth, tasting the mint of her mouth rinse as the mage deepened the kiss. Mimi moaned softly as Kai responded, moving her mouth with hers as the mage slid her hands down Kai's smooth neck and down her front, scraping her freshly manicure nails over the sleek mesh of Kai's shirt. Her hands smoothed over Kai's firm breasts that fitted perfectly in her cupped hands, a contrast to her own that were twice the size and softer like pillows. Though Mimi adored Kai's lean body, thinking it perfect and beautiful. Of course Mimi found beauty in all of her partners, never discriminating when pleasure of the flesh was to be had.

But Kai will always be special.

"Hawke…" she whispered against Kai's wet mouth. Just as the mage's wandering hands were about to wander further south, the door to the room opened and their other friends entered.

"Whoa, where's my invitation?" came Flynn's voice.

Mimi pulled away with a frustrated huff and moved off of Kai, sitting back down beside the Spectre with a sour expression directed at the dwarf.

"Damnit!" she cursed.

Kai acted as if nothing happened as she sat up on the couch. It wasn't the first time she and Mimi kissed so intimately, having never gone further than that (despite the mage's best efforts). At best it was just Mimi's way of playing her games to stave off boredom. She did it to all of them, except Mimi succeeded in sleeping with the boys in their group. They all had a rather "complicated" friendship, though Mimi sleeping with them (excluding Kai) did nothing to strain their relationship. Oddly enough it only strengthened their bonds to each other.

"Still trying to get into Hawke's pants after all these years?" Flynn teased, easily dodging a pillow Mimi threw at him. "Don't get mad at me, Sparkplug."

"You just shut up, dwarf!" Mimi snapped, clearly frustrated from the interruption.

"I'm not saying your efforts are in vain—wait, yes I am." Flynn said, followed by a wicked cackle as he plopped down on the other couch. Flynn had made a name for himself as a freelance mercenary. His aim with any gun or rifle were unmatched and his services were often bought by the highest bid, however he was always more than glad to lend a "helping" hand for Kai whenever she was given the freedom to put a team together.

"That's enough, you two." Kai said before looking at Javan. "Ready to test the prototype?"

"It's been ready," Javan grinned, "Unless you wanna finish first with Mimi?"

"Ugh! I don't need you acting as my proxy." Mimi scoffed.

The door to the room opened again as Bjorn, the last member of their tight group, entered. Out of the five of them, Bjorn was the only one who chose a career away from politics, having become an up and coming young playwright. He had written several successful plays and musicals, and as much as the high life of celebrity fitted him, the elf still occasionally loaned out his skills for Kai. Most of the time he curried favors from the artist community, often going through a network called the Friends of Red Jenny that always brought up the desired results.

"Good, you're all here. Hawke, I have a favor to ask." Bjorn said.

"All right, what's this favor you need?" Kai asked, leaning back in the couch and crossing her knees while casually clasping her hands on top of them.

"My diva decided to quit this morning, I'm in need of your assistance to take her place for tonight's show." Bjorn said.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kai said, thinking she heard wrong.

"You know the set list. It's just one evening in front of potential sponsers. I wouldn't ask if I had someone else to stand in." Bjorn said.

"Wait, you already know the set list?" Javan asked, "When do you have time to memorize it? Wait, why were you asking Hawke for help and not include the rest of us?"

"Your musical talents extend to singing drunk on karaoke nights to awful country love songs." Bjorn said.

"Says the elf with no taste in real music." Javan grumbled.

"Will you help?" Bjorn asked, looking at Hawke.

"Fine," Kai said, "It's only fair that I help you out for once."

xxxxx

Famous last words.

Kai found that helping her artistic friend was the last thing she should have done. She would have had an easier time simply bedding her promiscuous friend instead as she looked through the set list of Bjorn's latest work. She knew the songs, having sang them for him when he was working on the lyrics a few months back.

"I thought the lead was supposed to be male." Kai said.

"It can be interchangeable, but the sample skit I'm presenting the sponsors is a solo of the main character losing focus on what is in front of her while the rest of her people see her being pulled away from them. Blinded by fame and fortune she isolates herself in the end."

Bjorn played the melody on the stereo and Kai counted the beats before taking in a breath to begin singing the first few bars.

 _All the shine of a thousand spotlights  
All the stars we steal from the night sky  
Will never be enough  
Never be enough  
Towers of gold are still too little  
These hands could hold the world but it'll  
Never be enough  
Never be enough_

Bjorn closed his eyes as he listened, their friends off to the side, listening and watching. Bjorn had often said to Kai that she could still leave her current life behind to become someone else, always offering roles in his plays. Since their time in the Academy, as part of their "studies" music and acting had always been Bjorns favorite, thinking if he were to continue on a military path he'd work in the espionage branch. Though he had no real talent for singing he had always thought Kai had an exceptional voice, wasting her talents for the Spectres.

Her vocal range was still impressive, like she practiced daily, and Bjorn would never know for sure, even if he were to ask Kai if she did. His friend was too tight-lipped about her personal life most times but was more than open about her missions. Well…except for whatever happened in Redcliff.

Their friends all clapped and cheered when Kai finished the song and Bjorn opened his eyes to see Kai failing at trying not to blush at the praise.

xxxxx

Standing on the roof of a sky bridge, Kai and her friends were readying to test out Javan's new prototype of a faster hover board.

"I swear you still act like giddy children with your new toys." Bjorn drawled boredly, crossing her arms.

"Says the elf who writes musicals." Javan muttered.

"So this doesn't look any different than the last model." Kai said, flipping the plank of metal around in her hands to inspect both sides. One side had markers where to place the feet while the other side had the engine and what looked suspiciously like rocket boosters.

"Well, yeah, same model. I just tweaked it a bit, mainly the throttles. Those are new." Javan said.

"Why is Hawke testing it out?" Flynn asked.

"I've got one for me, too." Javan said, holding up his to show the dwarf. "The boards are modified to our weights."

"Let me guess, you wanna give it a test?" Kai asked with a knowing smirk.

"Hell no! I'd prefer to keep my legs attached to my body, thanks." Flynn said.

"Just go already!" Mimi said impatiently.

Kai and Javan placed their boards down and stepped on top. Instantly, Kai felt her feet sticking to the board, realizing that Javan had installed a minor gravitation pad to ground the rider to the board. With her back heel she started the engine, hearing it whir to life as he slowly lifted off the floor.

"All right, just a quick loop around the skyway. Got it?" Javan said, looking over at Kai who nodded her head.

Flynn pulled out his phone and turned on the camera to record it on video, having a gut feeling that he'll get a good laugh out of it later.

"Wait, how do I make it go forward?" Kai asked but Javan had already taken off. It took Kai a minute to figure out that she had to shift her weight forward before it took off; the force of the acceleration caught her nearly off balance. If it weren't for the grounding pad she would have surely flown off the damn thing. She quickly adapted, learning to shift her weight back and forth and when she finally caught up to Javan did she feel the engine stutter. Looking down she sat the throttles die out and the power shut off and then she was falling.

She let out a scream to Javan who turned his head and shifted his weight to turn his board around when the engine on his board also failed. As Kai was trying to think of a way to save herself and Javan she felt her back impact into something firm and moving followed by a jolt as another, heavier body impacted the same space as her.

"Caught you just in time." came a familiar and for Kai, unwelcomed, voice. Sitting up on the pleather passenger seat, Kai looked to her left at Jameson, who had obviously saved her and Javan in his vehicle.

"You—?!" Kai choked out.

"Fuck! I thought I had it right this time." Javan said from the backseat.

"Y'know, you could thank me for saving you." Jameson said, giving Kai a cocky smirk.

"Thanks." she said curtly.

"Javan, maybe you should make something more practical next time? Or just add a parachute?" Jameson said over his shoulder.

"Where's the fun in potential death with a parachute?" Javan jested while receiving an icy glare from Kai. "Don't give me that look, you knew the risks."

"So, I saved your life. I think that earns me a debt from you to collect later." Jameson said, still wearing his cocky smirk.

Kai ground her back teeth as Jameson drove them back to the sky bridge where their friends were still at. Kai was quick to hop out of his car while Javan thanked Jameson again for the timely save.

"Hey, Hawke," Jameson called out, getting Kai's attention. "We still need to talk about that thing."

"No, we don't." Kai said firmly. "Bye."

Jameson merely shook his head before driving off, leaving Kai and her friends behind as he merged back into the skyway traffic.

"What was that about?" Flynn asked.

"Let's get off this bridge before the police show up." Kai said.

xxxxx

Kai spent the afternoon with her friends, laughing and exchanging stories. It had been over a year since the five of them had spent time together. Even with their lives having taken different paths, the bonds they shared were strong as the ink in their right palms were black. That same evening Kai made good on her promise to help Bjorn, singing the number he had selected while his small cast of loyal actors danced around her to give the sponsors a taste of what the famed playwright was bringing next to the stage.

Afterwards the five of them celebrated with the actors on a successful sale, sucking on vapors of liquor at the seedy club in the lower parts of the Presidium below the Commons. Then, as the night wound down and Bjorn's troupe had all vanished to who-knows-where, Kai brought up the email she received in the early hours of that morning.

"You got one, too?" Javan asked, quickly sobering up.

"Too?" Kai blinked, looking at Javan in bewilderment.

"Same here." Flynn said.

"What was in this email exactly?" Bjorn asked.

Kai looked at Javan and Flynn before focusing on Bjorn and Mimi who looked on in curiosity. "The email was strange, it had files about my personal records along with some disturbing details about Trinity's experiments." Kai said.

"You both know how the three of us were in the Malapa Project, right?" Flynn asked, getting a nod from the other two. "Well, it involved genetic experimentations on live subjects. Us three, and everyone who was in the project. Apparently," Flynn leaned in closer and the rest of them did as well as he lowered his voice. "Trinity has been fucking with time and kidnapping babies from the past."

At that Mimi sat up straight, an expression of non-belief on her beautiful face. "Time travel? Really? Such magic would require a _lot_ of lyrium and power and technology that Trinity, quite frankly… _shit…"_

"They have all of the above, Sparkplug." Flynn said, "I love me a conspiracy but this is just too freaky for my taste."

"Time travel…how interesting." Bjorn said, showing more interest in something other than his plays. "Do you know what era? The year?"

"Mine said 09:35 Dragon. First of Wintermarch." Kai said.

"Same for me." Flynn said.

"Mine said 10:20 Prosper." Javan said.

"Whoa, nearly a whole century after us." Flynn said.

"Did the files say anything else? Where you were born?" Bjorn asked.

"Are you fishing for ideas right now? Seriously?" Flynn asked, catching himself from laughing at the elf's audacity.

"Why not? This is something out of a terrible sci-fi fantasy that has some interesting material I could use." Bjorn said.

"Unbelievable!" Flynn scoffed, throwing his hands up.

"I was born in Kirkwall." Kai said.

Javan whistled, "During the famous downfall of the city that sparked the Mage Rebellion. It's be even cooler if your mom was the famous Champion."

Kai snorted, "Yeah, as if I'd need to be even more impressive."

"Is this mysterious email what Jameson was talking about before?" Mimi asked, "Was he part of the Malapa Project?"

The four friends all looked to Kai. "Uh…come to think of it he did mention it briefly this morning when I was heading to the Citadel. But I brushed him off and didn't bother to think about him again."

" _Hawke!"_ Mimi said sharply, slapping her palms down on the table. "You can be so dense at times."

"Look, I'll talk to him another time. It's enough to know that these two also got similar emails." Kai said.

"Well we might find out sooner than later." Bjorn said off-hand just as Jameson approached their table.

"Seriously? Stalker much?" Kai balked, clearly displeased to see him.

"Hawke, may I speak with you in private?" Jameson asked, ignoring Kai's obvious state of upset.

"Pull up a chair, Jim. We got similar emails, too." Flynn said with a toothy grin, not caring that his best friend had clenched her jaw tight.

"Y-you did?" Jameson asked, looking at the five of them with wide eyes. He took a chair from a nearby table and sat himself down between Kai and Flynn. "So then all of you were also abducted by Trinity from the past?"

"It's a small space station, but not that small." Mimi said, leaning across Kai to smile at Jameson. "Bjorn and I are not part of this exclusive time capsule club of yours."

"Were you part of the Malapa Project?" Javan asked.

"I was part of the last group right before the Council pulled the plug on the projects. I was one of the lucky ones to not have been extensively experimented on." Jameson said.

"What year were you taken from?" Bjorn asked.

"I think my file said I was born in 13:25 Awakening." Jameson said, "What about you three?"

"Who the hell sent out that email?" Kai asked, cutting off the line of conversation and redirecting it. "And why?"

xxxxx

It had been a long day as Kai had predicted and as tired as she was, she couldn't, for the life of her, to shut her brain off to let her sleep. So she did what she knew how—she logged onto her computer and opened up the files to read more of Trinity's dirty secrets. She managed to read through a page when there came a knock on her door and the security screen popped up in front of her, showing Jameson was at her doorstep.

She rolled her eyes before closing the open files on her computer and placing the USB drive in her desk drawer. Getting up she then walked over to her door, sliding it open enough to peek out at the man on the other side.

"What do you want?" she asked in an unfriendly tone, annoyed that he was being so persistent today.

"I wanted to talk with you." he said.

"We did talk at the bar." Kai said in a clipped tone, ready to close the door on him when Jameson reached out to catch the door from sliding shut.

"Hawke, I know you're still mad at me for what happened at Redcliff but that was ten years ago." Jameson said, looking directly at Kai with steeled determination. "I've apologized to you so many times that I've lost count. You even shot me— _twice!"_

"Clearly you didn't get the message." Kai said, beginning to lose her patience. "Maybe a third time you will."

"We were just kids then. I was scared for my life. You would've done the same if our roles had been reversed."

"True, but I doubt you would've survived the fall, not being genetically modified and all."

She watched as Jameson's face fell and saw that he was losing steam for casing his argument. "I think it's rather petty of you to hold onto a grudge like this. What's sadder is that I'm still trying, ten years later, to get you to forgive me…for a choice I regret every single day."

For the first time, Kai believed him. In the beginning she had never thought of his apologies as sincere, only thinking how it was just his way of clearing his conscience. And now…ten years later, he was still pursuing her forgiveness in earnest. Licking her lips she looked up at him, into his violet eyes that seemed to look into her very heart.

"Tell me, out of all the outposts for pilots why did you choose the Presidium? Nothing ever exciting happens up here." she said. Jameson smiled that crooked, boyish smile of his as the skin on the corners of his eyes crinkled.

He scratched the back of his head in a nervous manner that Kai found to be rather endearing all of a sudden. "Because I knew you were up here."

Leaning her shoulder against the doorframe and tilting her head slightly to one side, she smirked. "So basically you've wasted your career for the past decade chasing after my forgiveness?"

A blush creeped across his cheeks. "Well…not in so many words. I mean, yeah, I wanted your forgiveness but I also, um, wanted to see the Presidium? Sweet maker, I walked right into that, didn't I?"

Kai giggled and shook her head. "I'll see you around, Jameson." she said and Jameson paused for a moment before smiling at her and releasing her door, letting it slide shut.

xxxxx

Waking up to her alarm clock going off, Kai shut off the beeping and let out a wide yawn as she stretched her whole body in bed. It had been a long time since she was able to sleep without any dreams disturbing her, it felt nice to feel somewhat well rested. Getting out of bed she went on with her morning routine of freshening up and preparing for the day when she received an incoming call from the Citadel after changing into uniform.

" _Your presence has been summoned before the Council."_ was all the caller said before hanging up.

"Finally, some action."


	4. Chapter 3 - On the Run

Chapter Three – On the Run

Thedas was crumbling into political chaos after the terrorists had attacked the Summit Meeting at Halamshiral. That had been a month ago. Kai had been working almost nonstop, going on mission after mission on orders from the Council. Each mission, each kill…it all began to make her sick as she was reminded constantly of the truth she had learned from that email. She had read every single page in the files she had received about her personal history in Trinity's and the government's records. All the experiments, all the tests, all the missions…they had recorded everything.

Sitting in the Chantry, Kai found solace in the peace and quiet of the small cathedral. She was thankful that it was void of people, except for the few devoted sisters of the faith. Kai had never been one for prayers or faith, but after learning the truth of her origins and discovering a little more about her parents, she had hoped that Andraste and the Maker would bring her a little closer to her parents. All the report on her parents would divulge was that her mother was a mage and her father was a Templar. They had lived in Kirkwall. Their names were Marian and Cullen Rutherford.

Rutherford.

If that was her family name then why the hell was she named Hawke? Was it a poor attempt at erasing her past? Was it code for something?

It felt rather ironic for Kai to sit inside the chantry, considering her line of work. If she were to confess her multiple sins the poor Revered Mother would more than likely go mute from horror. But sitting on a pew within the quiet of the chantry felt soothing. She'll occasionally hear the quiet whispers of the cloister sisters or the muttering of prayers from a few devout people. Kai, on the other hand, just sat quietly, trying to absorb the serenity of the place. She couldn't quite claim to believe in the Maker and his profit Andraste, but she appreciated some of the messages within the chant that always seem to give her some comfort.

Now that she had a moment to herself she could let herself digest the information she had practically shoved into her brain early that morning, plus the whole terrorist attack problem which came second in her mind. She just wondered if what she read in those files about herself were all true or if someone was playing an elaborate and cruel prank. Then there was the ordeal about Cor, about how he had abducted her as an infant from under her parents' noses. Then a flurry of what-ifs flooded her mind. What if he had never taken her? Would she have lived as a normal girl? Never knowing what it felt like to kill another person on someone's orders? Never develop calluses on her hands from handling weapons? Never have experienced that nightmare in Redcliff?

What were her parents like? Did she look like them? Did they try searching for her? So many questions unanswered and the only way to possibly answer them would be to actually go to the past physically. It's possible, if those documents weren't typos, there could be an actual way for her to go back. But time travelling is illegal…

 _Fuck illegal! Cor's a fuckin' baby-snatcher! And Trinity knew! I'm not the only displaced abductee, either. There had been hundreds like me._ she thought just as realization of what that meant made her stomach squeeze. _And I probably killed the bulk of them…_

It felt a little too coincidental that she received that email just hours before the terrorist attack in Denerim happened.

Fucking Cor. That bastard has a lot to answer for. If anything, she'll polish a bullet that she'll use to shoot him between the eyes. She had looked up her previous mentor, learning that he was running for government back in Orlais, which meant he was currently too high profile to target for revenge. At least for now.

She and her friends had been making plans though their plans weren't panning out until Flynn had mentioned that one of his contacts was part of the radical group called Cerberus; who had been responsible for the attacks in major cities as of late. Turned out that Flynn's contact also happened to be a former subject of Trinity's, having also received an email from an unknown sender. The contact told Flynn where to go, and Flynn relayed the message to Kai and their friends: an abandoned fortress in the Frostbacks.

Someone sat down beside Kai in the pews and she didn't have to turn her head to see that it was Jameson. They sat side by side in silence, under the gaze of Andraste's statue.

"You don't strike me as a devoted Andrastian." Jameson said softly.

"Doesn't mean I don't believe, even a little." Kai replied.

She felt Jameson taking her hand in his, a rather forward move on his part. He had been getting bolder around her since their little heart-to-heart several weeks ago. The furthest he had done was hug her after returning from her last mission.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"No. Are you?" she asked.

"It's a shame there's no manual for what we're about to do."

Kai let out a short, breathy laugh as she gave his hand a little squeeze. "Guess we have no choice but to wing it."

"Hawke…Kai, I promise this time I won't let go of your hand when things get hard." Kai looked at Jameson with mild surprise while a blush creeped up onto her cheeks as she met his violet gaze.

"Nikolai Jameson, it almost sounds like you're making a vow to me before the Maker." Kai teased. A smile spread across his face, showing off his crooked smile that made Kai's heart flutter rapidly in her chest. Kai found herself tilting her head up and leaning forward while he was angling his head down and met his lips with hers. It was a soft, chaste kiss that left Kai wanting for more but knew she had to stop before she gave into that urge of continuing. They sat for awhile longer in the Chantry, holding hands quietly before finally getting up to leave. Kai had packed her military issue duffel bag that Jameson took from her and slung onto his shoulder as they walked out of the Chantry together. They fingers now laced together.

It was, in a way, like a disguise, leaving the Chantry together like a couple while they made their way, inauspiciously towards the shipping bay.

xxxxx

Taking one of the ships easily without incident or suspicion, Kai and her friends managed to fly out from the Presidium Ring to make their way towards Thedas with Jameson flying the ship. It took six hours to reach the Frostbacks from the Presidium Ring, staying below the radar so as to not be detected even if Flynn reassured that they couldn't be traced. The last half hour of their flight, Jameson had to manually steer the ship through the peaks and the apparent storm they had gotten themselves into until they reached their destination. An abandoned fortress, deep within the Frostbacks that could have easily been missed because the storm was so thick. Jameson landed the ship as steady as he could in the storm, the landing a lot rougher than he would have liked but at least they touched ground. Turning off the engine deactivated the cloaking but Flynn made sure to remove and destroy the tracking beacon just in case it had a backup battery that would turn on.

Everyone was suited in their gear, helmets on, weapons at the ready. Each of them had taken up a plasma gun from the ship's armory, their usual weapons secured to their bodies. They all carried as much as they could from the ship, from emergency kit to camping gear, they couldn't take a chance of not being prepared.

"Brace yourselves. And stay close." Kai said, cocking her plasma gun before pulling the lever to release the hatch.

"It's been awhile since I've had to gear up like this." Mimi said, adjusting her fingers in her gloves. "And it's not even for role playing in the bedroom."

"Good to know of our Lady Ambassador." Jameson said.

Kai, Javan, Mimi and Jameson braved through the storm, walking carefully towards the fortress ruins, all the while alert and keeping eyes on all angles with Jameson bringing up the rear, plasma gun at the ready. The flashlights on their guns were very limited in the thick storm, and their helmet's infrared and night vision settings weren't as helpful in the black frenzy of the wind and snow. Yet it was just enough for them to get inside the building and shelter them from the storm.

Kai lead them further inside, still moving as one unit, still alert to what might be lurking in the dark. It felt like an eternity as they followed Kai, locating an inner sanctum of the building behind a rotting wooden door. It was a small space, probably once used for storage but couldn't say for sure in the limited light they had with their flashlights.

"We'll camp here for the night." Kai said, switching on the safety on her gun. The rest of them did the same as they began to sort through their gear, the flashlights being frustrating for not illuminating more. With some difficulty and frustration they laid out the thin aluminum blankets and set up the electric lantern that lit up the entire room in its white light and slowly began to emit heat to warm them. Air purifiers were set up, vacuuming any poison or toxin in the air so that they could take their helmets off without worry. The four of them huddled around once the red light on the air filters turned green, giving them the relief to take their helmets off but still fully armed.

They took shifts in keeping watch, two awake and two asleep; rotating every four hours until first light. Luckily the storm had passed and they were able to get a good look at their surroundings. Despite the sad shape the fortress was in, it was an impressive structure to have lasted through the ages. They had packed everything up and hauled their gear as they searched around the abandoned compound.

"I wonder what this place was used for." Mimi said in wonder.

"It's definitely some kind of abandoned military base or something. Why else build a fortress in this blighted location?" Kai said, while she tapped the side of her helmet to check the air quality at the altitude they were at. Kai sighed in disappointment, seeing her scanners showing that even the high peaks of the Frostbacks had been touched by the many nuclear war's aftereffects. Which explained the color of the snow that crunched under their boots, a dirty combination of grey and brown.

Disgusting.

"This was where the Inquisition of the Ninth Age was based in." said a familiar voice, though it didn't stop the two from whipping around with their guns at the ready. Even in his gear, Kai can still recognize the dwarf. "Easy, ladies!"

"Where's Bjorn?" Mimi asked as she and Kai lowered their weapons.

"Inside with Jav and Pretty Boy." Flynn said, waving for them to follow him inside. "C'mon, I'll introduce you to some interested people."

"How long do you think it'll be before Trinity finds us?" Mimi asked, "They're bound to send agents after us."

"Which is why we need to hurry and meet up with the rest of the party." Flynn said.

"You mentioned these rebels but you didn't give us a lot about them." Kai said, as she and Mimi followed their friend back inside where Javan and Jameson were standing with Bjorn "Who are they?"

Flynn just held up a gloved hand as he pulled out his phone and dialed some unknown contact. "It's me. Open the doors." He then hung up and before any of them could utter a word the ground beneath their feet shook. They all turned, looking in the great hall and seeing the floor separating, revealing its hidden secret. A metal platform rose up to ground level, a protective guard rail fencing around it. Flynn motioned for them all to step onto the platform and once they were all aboard it began to slowly descend beneath the floor.

The hatches began to close above them, suspending them in darkness with only the pulsing of florescent yellow lights giving them any clue that they were still moving. Kai tensed when she felt a hand on her shoulder but eased up when she felt the familiar squeezing of reassurance by Jameson. The platform stopped and another door hatched open before them. Light flooding through the darkness and a single figure, obscured by the light, stood, waiting for them.

"It's about bloody time. I was beginning to worry until you called."

Kai felt herself bristle up at the familiar gruff voice, quickly reaching over her shoulders and unsheathing her daggers.

"Hawke! Wait!" Flynn exclaimed but wasn't fast enough to stop the Spectre as she flew off the platform and knocked the man onto his back with her on top, her black blade pressed against his throat.

This was it.

This was the moment she had been anticipating for weeks.

This confrontation.

She had already broken away from her creed with the Spectres, having betrayed her sect and abandoning her oath, all for the sake of vengeance for the wrong that had been done to her. All thanks to the man she had, with the edge of her blade pressed up against the soft flesh of his throat, small beads of blood beginning to form. She had steeled herself for this very moment, wanting to kill him but first she needed to know.

Kai ripped off her helmet, not caring if she will breathe in poison before ripping off the O2 mask from Cor's face to look him in the eye.

"Why me? Out of countless infants you could have taken that night, why me?" she all but hissed, glaring angrily down at the man she had once trusted. A man she had looked up to. Thought of as a father-figure. All of that now shattered with an ugly reality of lies and blood.

Cor merely looked up at her with eyes that held no remorse for his past deeps. "I see you read your files. Good." he said; his voice gruff and low.

"Hawke, stop!" Flynn said, making a move to run up to Kai but remained where he was by Cor, who lifted a hand, silently telling the dwarf that it was fine.

"I took you from your timeline because you would have died within a year. And your parents would have been executed because they had you." A heavy feeling dropped in Kai's stomach at that and she could see no lie in Cor's eyes. "Your parents were too important for history to die because they had a child together. So much depended on their survival."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Kai breathed, her throat burning from breathing in the unfiltered air.

"Your mother was an apostate and your father a Templar. It was a dangerous time in Kirkwall's history. Your discovery would have caused a chain-reaction of events that would have had devastating results in Thedas. Your parents needed to live through that to ensure the world did not end."

"So what—I'm some sort of walking apocalypse just waiting to happen?"

"The Knight-Commander at the time was unstable and would have killed you in a fit of madness and then would have murdered your parents. Taking you out of the equation was the only way to make sure that humanity survived."

Kai pressed the blade further up against his throat, "No. You're lying!"

"Killing me won't accomplish anything, Hawke."

"You'll say anything to justify what you did. You not only displaced me but hundreds of others!"

"Hawke! Stop!" Flynn called out but went no further than that when Kai had shot a warning bullet at his feet without looking away from Cor. The gunshot surprising everyone in the corridor and elicited a scream from Mimi.

"Tell me. You know how to travel through time, tell me how so I can go back." Kai demanded. "Flynn and Javan, too. They deserve to know the truth also since you're responsible for them being here, too."

"Fine."

xxxxx

" _It has been three days since the attack on the Summit and there has been no new development in tracking down one of the known fugitives. The Citadel Council had released a statement earlier this week, stating that they have officially begun the manhunt for former Spectre Kailah Hawke and Javan Sten. Along with former pilot Captain Nikolai Jameson of the Alliance Federation. It has also been reported the Ambassador Pavus was seen with Sten, heading towards the Presidium Ring shipping bay just days before the attack on the Summit. It is believed that she was assassinated for she had not been present at the Summit. Furthermore…"_

"Turn it off." Kai said, pacing back and forth. Since arriving in the secret rebel base below the ruins of the crumbling castle of Skyhold, Kai had been in a sour mood. Not only was she and her friends branded as traitors, but Cor wasn't mentioned _once_ in any of the news stories. The air quality was poorer than if they were in any major city housed within a protective dome, the generators that were meant to keep the oxygen flowing throughout the base were constantly being repaired. Thus everyone was given O2 masks to wear whenever the yellow lights in every room and hallway turned on, indicating the air generators were down.

The rebels gave them beds, food, and clean clothes, but it did nothing to erase the reality of their situation. The base was frigid cold all over the place, and with the spare clothes they were given, it wasn't enough to keep warm and so they also kept their uniforms on for some extra warmth. The only place that was warm was in their small shared room that contained a single space heater. And only three cots. Kai and Mimi shared one of the cots and used both their bedrolls to attempt to block out the cold and share body heat in the night.

Cor was constantly away in the war room, obviously keeping his distance. It irritated Kai to no end, forcing her to wait. Waiting and not knowing was the worst. And she was done waiting as she threw off her blanket, shivering at the instant cold that hugged her body. She ignored her body's craving for warmth as she left the cramped room and ventured out into the hall. Kai shivered again, her teeth clattering and her breath fogging in front of her as she walked down the hall, searching for her answer, for Cor. For anyone!

xxxxx

Cor bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. He was in the war room, standing with the other key members of the rebellion. The rest of their members were scattered across Thedas, with only a few messages a day with only bad news to report. The attack on the Summit was unexpected and it also was forcing them all to stifle their desire to retaliate, but when Trinity framed Kai for the attack—Cor had never before known true fear and anger until that moment. Trinity knew who they were, or at least they think they know. All of his careful planning to prepare them…he was hoping to wait until at least until his and Councilman Ykut's plans were fully ready, but now Trinity has forced him—and the rebels—to speed up their plans.

"They have three of our names on their black list that they announced publically, including that Spectre Flynn brought in…it's only a matter of time before they name _everyone_." Dominic said, looking down at the round table where it projected the holographic geography of Thedas with red dots mapping every outpost that belonged to Trinity. Dominic was an ex-soldier who was familiar with Trinity's protocols and security details, though he defected from questionable orders; only learning of Trinity's true horrors years later and even then that was barely scratching the surface. "This has already forced what's left of our allies to go into hiding."

"Trinity used their children soldiers to kill Professor Copper fifteen years ago," Oswald said, a dwarf who was part of the Merchant's Guild, as indicated to the signet ring on his left third finger. "Trinity obviously found out somehow that he was helping us locate the weapon's whereabouts before them. But how the hell did they know to point the finger at your prodigy, Cor?! On top of that who else do they know about?"

"It wouldn't be hard to believe that there is a mole in our group, the only question is who among us is the traitor?" Dominic wondered.

"Anyone able to get a message through to the elf and his team?" Oswald asked.

"Radio silence, they must have moved their ship to the dark side of the moon." said Rylo, who was responsible for decrypting incoming messages across Thedas from their allies in the rebellion against Trinity. Rylo was a short and round man in his late twenties, brilliant at coding and encrypting. His idea of a good time is sitting in front of the computer, writing code, and eating "cheese" crisps. "We may not hear from them for awhile."

"It's only been three days and Trinity has already raided eight of our hideouts. We need to find that mole before we lose anymore good people!" Dominic said, his voice carrying authority as his fists slammed down on the tabletop.

"Kid, I know yer hurtin', but we can't help them now." Oswald said, knowing his pain as most of his own family had gone into hiding and his eldest son and his family were found by Trinity and executed on the spot. "What we can do is keep their memory alive by seeing this through."

"Cor, when you were a handler, do you recall any orders going through to retrieve anything?" Rylo asked.

"You're gonna have to ask Kai and her friends, they're the ones who were sent on miscellaneous missions during their Academy years." Cor replied.

"Back to square one." Rylo sighed.

"So now we're on a treasure hunt for the third piece, great. I do so love myself a scavenger hunt." Oswald said sarcastically. "So, where do we start?"

The door into the war room slid open as a woman with messy red hair and thick glasses came in, her arms loaded with rolled up schematics and maps. "I'm sorry! I got caught up researching the artifacts Trinity was after and realized something while I was doing my afternoon jazzercise!" She dropped everything onto the table and rifled through the rolled up maps, grabbing a rather ancient looking map that was yellowed and thinned. The contents of the map were definitely of a Thedas that no longer existed. "While I was reading through the professor's notes he had been using some weird key words that made no sense to me but then I realized that the reason they made no sense to me was because I was comparing his notes with an up to date map when really I should have been looking at older maps!" The woman rambled as she pulled up a holo-screen and entered activated the scanner to create a 3-D print of the old map. "And then when I figured that out I had to go search through historical maps going back decades and centuries until I came to another realization that the maps that are available in our geography networks didn't go back far enough so then I—"

"Hattie!" the men all chorused together, cutting the woman off mid-sentence.

"Right! Fast-forwarding," Hattie said as she adjusted her thick glasses and then maneuvered the 3-D map around to show them her discovery, marking where the artifacts were all supposedly hidden. "I went into the archive vaults and found this copy of a super-mega-old map of an original super-mega-ancient map of Thedas pre-dating the First Blight in 800 TE."

"This map obviously pre-dates the discovery of all of Thedas." Dominic said, "There's hardly any landmarks."

"I'm gettin' there," Hattie said as she then began to add the layers of the other maps throughout each age until it was of the current Thedas with the location marking where New Arlathan resided among other locations throughout Thedas. "X marks the spots!"

"Good job, Hattie." Cor said.

"Trinity will have figured this out, too." Rylo said.

"True, but all this digging around for this ancient Thedas got me thinking…" Hattie began, "Why not go back in time _before_ Trinity was founded and get the missing pieces ourselves and destroy it?"

"Tch! You say it like it's the most obvious thing." Oswald said skeptically. "Time travel is illegal plus we don't have the equipment or manpower."

"Actually…" Hattie trailed off, her magnified eyes flicking to Cor.

"It's not yet ready." Cor said, looking sharply at the red-head. Hattie puckered her lips and puffed out her cheeks, showing her disappointment. "It's too dangerous and there's no guarantee. It's not even tested!"

"But Marius showed me his work! The formulas are accurate, the only thing left to do is activate the machine but that will require a lot of power and—"

"I said no."

"Are you sayin' that we have our own time machine?" Oswald asked incredulously, his bushy brows nearly reaching his hairline.

Cor let out a huff of agitation. "Pavus and his lunatic mages are still working on their wormhole project." he said.

"But I thought we shut that down years ago?" Oswald said, furrowing his brow.

"What project?" Dominic asked.

Cor let out a sharp sigh. "Marius is trying to replicate Trinity's time machine."

"Say what now?" Dominic asked, "Time travel? Cor! You of all people know of the repercussions that has already caused! This rebellion formed because of Trinity doing shit like manipulating the timeline. Not to mention the files Rylo had been able to decrypt about where Trinity got all those kids for their sick Malapa Project—and you were part of it, no less."

"If you're gonna hit low try not to pull your punches, whelp." Cor growled, squaring his shoulders in front of Dominic. "You would have done the same as me, following orders like a good soldier."

"And I'm supposed to believe that justifies what you did for them?"

"Dom, Cor is one of the founders of this rebellion." Oswald said.

"Even so, why? You know everything about all of us but how many of us left know anything about you?" Dominic asked defensively. "What made you suddenly betray your nation?"

Cor picked up the control tablet and pulled up on the holo-screen of a photo. The photo showed a little girl in a white room that was stained in blood with bodies of other children laying dead around her. The girl was sitting with her knees hugged up to her chest, her blue eyes peeking through the matted curtain of her black hair. She was covered in blood and her face showed no emotions but her eyes showed the horror she witnessed.

"Is that…?" Hattie began.

"Kai was my reason for turning my back on Trinity, the Federation, and the Citadel Council. It was they who allowed this to happen. Turning children against each other all for the sake of progress. Kai was also the last child I took out of her time before I had been promoted. Her and all the other displaced children are the reason why I helped formed this rebellion."

A silence fell into the room as everyone slowly peeled their gazes away from the painful image. Cor turned the holo-screen off.

"Kai says she wants to go back to her time," Cor said, breaking the silence. "I think I can at least try and do that much for the girl who became the Monster of Malapa."

Everyone quieted down as Kai walked into the room, casting an icy glare at Cor as she stopped at the table between Oswald and Dominic. Hattie adjusted her thick glasses on her nose, her magnified eyes blinking behind the thick lenses.

"I think it's fair to include me in since Cor promised to send me back to my actual timeline." Kai said smoothly, obviously having heard the last bit of the conversation. She reached out to the hologram map of Thedas and turning it in different angles. Cor suppressed a frustrated growl while his companions all looked at him accusingly.

"Hawke, now isn't the time." Cor said.

"Hawke? As in _the_ Kailah Hawke from the Graduation Test?" Hattie asked.

"That's gonna haunt me forever." Kai muttered. Cor grunted when Hattie suddenly shoved him aside and made a move to grab hold of Kai's face for examination but was quickly stopped when Kai grabbed her wrists and twisted her until she was face down on the table.

"Hattie?!" Dominic said in alarm.

"A-Amazing!" Hattie wheezed, "Your reflexes are so fast!" Kai released Hattie who slowly pushed up from the table and rubbed her wrists tenderly, though she turned and grinned excitedly at Kai. "I've read so much about the Malapa Project but the materials I had gotten were so vague about its subjects. I _have_ to run my own tests! Let me take some samples of your blood, I wanna study the properties of what Trinity may have injected into your body. Can I also do a stress test on you? Do you have super strength? Where do you max out at in stamina?"

"Not now Hattie!" Cor growled, silencing the little woman.

Kai crossed her arms and stared Hattie down, silencing the woman who gave a little intimidated squeak and hid behind Cor.

"So…where's your time machine?" Kai asked, looking at Cor.

"Andraste's flamin' arse." Cor cursed before letting out a sigh.

xxxxx

Hattie led Kai, Dominic, Cor and Oswald to a lower level of the base and into the research lab where Hattie spent nearly all of her time in. Inside the group was met with five mages working zealously on a machine that was built to look like a portal with the center glowing with a purple miasma and sparks flying out of the gaps, glyphs glowing a bright green, and the mages staring at their work with intense concentration. A chain of sparks flew and shorted out the machine and the purple miasma was gone. The lights went out and then flickered back on a second later. The alarms going off as the air filter failed again.

"Fuck!" screamed one of the mages as he threw his goggles down in frustration.

"Marius," Cor called, getting the man's attention. The look that crossed his and the four other mages' faces translated that they were caught red-handed.

"This looks bad, but I can explain." Marius said as he straightened his white lab coat and combed his finger through his thick, curly black hair.

"What the fuck, Marius!" Dominic said as he stepped forward. "Is this thing you're working on the reason for the blackouts?"

"Well it's a bit more complicated than that but judging from your expression I doubt you want to hear it. Short version—partially." Marius said, turning on the charm.

"Will it work?" Kai asked, getting Marius' attention. He brightened slightly at her inquiry about his project.

"Once we put in the final touches, I believe so." Marius said, "And then we'll be able to start testing it."

"I'll volunteer." Kai said immediately.

"I like this one, she's got spunk." Marius said.

"Absolutely not!" Dominic said, "This is dangerous magic!"

"But we're so close!" Marius said, turning to Dominic with desperation. "Please, we're so very close, Dom. Think about it—Trinity is too powerful to face in _this_ time. If we go back to the past where Trinity's reach is limited then we can at the very least release what hold they have in the past. The nuclear wars can be prevented and Thedas will no longer be this dying Void it's become. As your friend, I am _begging you!_ Believe in this."

A long pause followed before Dominic sighed again and pinched the skin between his eyes. "Marius, it's too risky. You of all people should know that time travel is taboo magic. Think of what happened to your dad who tried his hand at forbidden magic."

"I know that, Dominic! But you need to open your eyes and look around you! We're running out of real options and Trinity has already wrapped the noose around our necks!" Marius said, on the verge of getting hysterical as he gripped his friend by the front of his Kevlar vest. "All that's left is for them to pull the lever to drop the floor under our feet. We're losing more of our people every day, Dom! They've already taken both of our families! Executing them without an arrest! A trial! Think about whose left! I'm doing this for them! _All of them!_ "

Dominic's jaw tightened as he stared back into his friend's eyes, seeing the pain behind the brave front he was putting on. The eldest son knew the mage was passionate when it came to what he believed in and finally conceded. He looked to Cor and Oswald, seeing them not giving him a hint of what to do. "All right," he finally said softly, undoing the mage's grip on his vest.

"Cor, is that machine similar to what Trinity used?" Kai asked.

"Close, but not quite. Trinity has had years to perfect the technology and science behind time travel; this in front of us is a model similar to Trinity's earlier prototypes." Cor said, "It was all I could manage to scrape up without getting caught."

"Will it work?" Kai asked, turning her head to look up at the older man.

"For your sake and for the sake of what blighted future is waiting for me, it better." Cor said, turning to leave the lab, followed by Oswald.

Dominic pulled Kai aside, away from the working mages with Hattie right beside him. "Listen, Cor's shown me some of your files so I know you're eager to return to your timeline and all but what exactly is your plan after that?" Dominic asked.

"Hopefully to find my parents. At the very least I just want to see them, they don't need to know who I am." Kai said

"Good, it's best not to mess with history too much." Dominic said, "But if this is successful I need you to seek out as many Trinity agents as you can and eliminate them."

"Cor said Trinity has been successful in time traveling," Hattie said, "He was one of their agents they sent back to abduct children, including yourself, right? Cor doesn't have to say it but it's obvious that Trinity must have many outposts in every era." Hattie then moved closer to Kai, practically getting in the Spectre's face. "On top of that, I want to talk to you personally about your blood work; the results were just fascinating and I wanted to know if you were aware that the experiments that Trinity did on you as an infant had obvious long-term effects."

"Hattie, not now." Dominic said, pushing the woman back with one arm to give Kai room. "I don't know about you, Spectre, but I don't trust Cor completely and I suspect you feel the same way."

Kai crossed her arms and looked at the ex-soldier. "Get on with it."

"If Marius is successful in sending you back, will you make it your mission to take down Trinity in your era?" Dominic asked.

"To prevent others from being taken from their families like me? Yes." Kai said, "I'll do what I can but you need to help me find their outposts."

"I'll update your digital maps." Hattie said.

"Anything digital will be useless in the Ninth Age." Kai stated.

Hattie just peered up at her through her thick lenses and smiled smugly (which seemed out of place). "Is that so? How do you think Trinity is able to go back and forth in time without working tech? I have a theory that one of their earlier exploits to the past they brought the equipment to set up and launch a satellite in secret; and have possibly launched many more in every era."

xxxxx

Kai was sitting backwards on a chair, her chest pressed against the back of the chair and her arms resting on top. Shirtless with only a towel to hide her breasts while Mimi worked on a new tattoo, using a special ink mixed with lyrium dust and enchanted with a spell by the mage ambassador. The process burned more than Kai remembered, of course the room was freezing cold, making the contrast of the two feel extreme. She quietly examined the tattoos on her forearms that Mimi had touched up with her special ink concoction, Kai's skin already healing and now mildly pink from the previously angry red and puffy. There were some benefits to being genetically modified by Trinity's sick experiments.

Mimi insisted on tattooing a protection rune onto Kai's back after touching up Kai's current tattoos, which Kai allowed.

"So interesting!" Hattie said, taking one of Kai's healing arms and examining the skin, running a hand up and down her forearm. "If I were to cut you how fast would you say your skin would heal from that?"

"Depends on the cut." Kai replied, "Maybe a few minutes if it were a deep cut. A bullet wound takes roughly ten minutes, assuming it's just one. I guess it depends on how much damage my body has taken will determine how long it takes for me to heal."

"Can I make a cut and time it?" Hattie asked.

"This chick for real?" Javan asked from where he was lounging on one of the cots. Flynn just snorted, trying hard not to let out an actual laugh from where he sat at the small table, working on his latest manuscript for his most popular serial comic (a series that Kai wasn't a big fan of because the main character is loosely based on her in an overly exaggerated way).

"Why don't you just time how quickly she heals from the tattoo instead?" Mimi suggested.

"Oh, what a good idea!" Hattie exclaimed, hopping over to Mimi's side and pulling out her phone to set up the stopwatch. "Hmm, the ink vanishes, is it special?"

"Yes." Mimi answered curtly, "Now shut it. I'm trying to concentrate."

"Actually, Hattie, I have a few questions if you don't mind." Kai said. She heard Mimi tsk in disapproval after saying how she wanted silence but ignored her all the same.

"Yes, of course." Hattie said all too eagerly.

"You had mentioned that it's possible that Trinity's outposts in the past may have launched satellites; does that mean they're able to also communicate through time and space?" Kai asked.

"From what Cor told me about when he was still a time agent real time communication wasn't possible but digital messages were. He doesn't know much about the science behind it all but he said that messages and orders had to be short and simple between times. But he said communication between other agents in the same time was as easy as making a regular phone call." Hattie said.

"Will I be able to come back to this time if I wanted?"

"As far as I know Marius' machine is a one-way ticket. However…if you find Trinity agents, they might have a way back since Cor said Trinity's understanding and technology have advanced and improved over the years."

"What will happen to me if the machine fails?"

"Worst case scenario—you might become trapped in the time stream forever."

"Well, that's cheery." Flynn grunted.

xxxxx

A week had gone by and already Kai was feeling cabin fever, escaping up to the surface in her gear and sat outside in the snow. Of course she was careful not to risk being seen and stayed under the cover of the rotting ceilings in case Trinity was using their satellites to find them. At least she was alone with her thoughts…and her regrets. The biggest being the Graduation that she had thought she had gotten over but those memories were slowly leaking into her most current nightmares. What was she thinking?! Volunteering without thinking of the consequences about an untested time machine. She could die before ever finding her parents. And her friends…

"You never think things through, Kai." she grumbled to herself, rolling her head back against the rotting wall she was sitting against. "Is risking your life for just a glimpse really worth it?"

Kai had tried to go through her photo album in her phone but found that she couldn't handle looking at the smiling faces, carefree of all worries. Most of the photos were taken by her friends who sent her copies since Kai wasn't very good at remembering to capture those kinds of memories on camera. A part of her wondered if she was sentimental about anything.

" _Kai…"_ crackled Mimi's voice through their suits' communication. The signal in this altitude made everything fuzzy and disconnected, not to mention whatever the hell the mages were doing was also fucking up with the power grid. _"Kai…do you hear me?"_

"Yeah…I hear you." Kai replied.

" _I know you've got a lot on your mind and all but it's not healthy for you to be all alone, brooding and all."_

"I'm not brooding."

" _You've been avoiding your friends. I know you. I know how you'll beat yourself up over something stupid. So it's better that you come inside and talk it out with your friends."_

"M...I just wanna be alo—" Kai said.

" _Get back in here NOW!"_

Kai flinched at Mimi's raised voice, screeching through her com-link. "All right! All right! You win, Pavus!"

Returning underground, Kai made her way straight down to the shared bunker, finding Mimi waiting for her alone with a big smile. The guys were nowhere to be found.

"I'm here," Kai announce with no attempt at feigning enthusiasm.

Mimi just shook her head at Kai, knowing the fact that she even returned was enough for the mage. "Thank you. I know you wanted to be alone but…"

Kai reached out and grabbed her hand, giving her fingers a reassuring squeeze. "It's fine, M. You were right; I should have been more of a friend and less of an angsty bitch." Mimi snorted and Kai grinned back at her. "So what did you need me for?"

"Did you forget what today is?" Mimi giggled, enjoying how good it felt to laugh again.

Kai raised a questioning brow. "What did I forget?"

The mage rolled her eyes and tugged on her friend's hand, pulling her towards the door and leading her down the chilly halls into the dark mess hall.

"Are you gonna let me in on what it is I'm forgetting?" Kai asked.

The lights then turned on. "SURPRISE!"

Kai immediately reached for her daggers before stopping herself when she saw the faces of her friends (plus her daggers were in her duffel bag). She looked at her friends, confused now.

"Wh-what's going on here?" Kai asked, forcing herself to relax.

"Seriously?" Flynn scoffed, stepping forward with his arms out to the sides. He flashed a devilish grin her way. "Don't tell me you forgot your favorite dwarf's Nameday, Hawke."

Kai blinked and then slapped a palm to her forehead. "Fuck! That's today?!"

Flynn just laughed.

"Happy Nameday, Kai." Mimi said, hugging Kai's waist.

"How like you to forget your own Nameday." Bjorn said, smirking.

"She forgot last year, too." Javan said.

"And the year before that." Mimi added.

"Let's also not forget the year she had accidentally sent me to the hospital after surprising her." Flynn said.

"Okay, I get it." Kai said, though she felt warmth spread inside her chest and grinned at her friends. "You guys are the best."

"Group photo!" Mimi announced, bringing out her phone as the five of them squeezed in together. Mimi had always been the group photographer, ever since she joined their little gang in the Academy. Capturing every moment, even meaningless selfies. Flynn and Javan took the occasional photos though the two of them were more notorious for snapping embarrassing photos; such as catching Kai sleeping in class or Mimi right after waking up. Bjorn was rather careful when getting his photo taken, though some of the photos Mimi and the guys took were of him doing mundane activities like reading or looking off in the distance. Plus the elf was so upsettingly photogenic that even snapping a photo of him eating a dry wafer was a thing of beauty (and Mimi resented him deeply for it).

The door to the mess hall opened up as Rylo came running in, breathing hard and flushed from the exertion that his flabby nerd body was clearly not meant to do. "Co—Cor!" he huffed as he doubled over, bracing his hands on his knees. "Is Cor here?"

"No." Kai said. Rylo groaned as he stood up straight with obvious effort and left to go find the man.

Kai and Mimi looked at each other and Mimi just rolled her eyes when she saw the look her friend had. "Just go." she huffed, crossing her arms under her breasts. Kai flashed her a grateful smile before chasing after Rylo, catching up to the chubby decoder and keeping pace with him to the to the war room. Kai entered through the doors first followed by a wheezing Rylo who had to lean up against the wall to keep himself from collapsing. Cor, Oswald, Dominic and Jameson were standing around the war table, discussing quietly amongst each other when they arrived.

"Cor…" Rylo wheezed as he pushed off the wall and staggered to the table, practically collapsing on it. "Message…from Korcori Wilds…Kane…"

"Take a breath boy," Oswald said.

Rylo took a moment to compose himself. "Kane just sent a transmission from the Korcori Wilds. He said that Trinity has set loose their undead experiments on them. They're forced out of their hideout and plan to head here."

Kai looked at Jameson, who in turn also looked back at her. Both of them thinking the same thing: Redcliff.

"Shit, Trinity isn't pulling any of their punches." Oswald said.

"Undead experiments?" Dominic asked.

"Another one of Trinity's pet projects." Cor said, bracing his hands against the table. "They used some kind of cocktail variation of the darkspawn blood and injected it into soldiers. The supposed outcome was to make super soldiers to fight off the next Blight if it ever came, trying to recreate the ancient ritual to make modern Grey Wardens. Obviously it backfired; the modified blood changed the genetic makeup of those poor bastards, killing them and then reanimating them into mindless monsters."

"And they're still unable to get it right?" Oswald asked.

"What can I say? Takes a few cracked eggs." Cor shrugged.

"More like a few sacrificial lambs."

"That's quite a bit of inside knowledge, how did you come across it?" Dominic asked.

"Because thirty years ago they ordered me to send my unit in as subjects." Cor said, a muscle flexing in his jaw. "I'm not proud of what I did, but back then I had no idea that I sentenced them to a fate worse than death. They were good men and women. I found out the truth after one of my soldiers had escaped and had sent me a video message warning me to not trust Trinity. He said that they were being used for something called Project Arcadia. In that video…I saw him being taken over by it, changing as the video kept recording. It was…a thing of nightmares."

Kai snorted as she went to go stand by Jameson at the table. "That putting it lightly." she mumbled.

"Someone other than you has gotta be suspicious. Don't those soldiers have family?" Oswald asked.

Cor shook his head, "They use soldiers who have no families, the perfect candidates are the orphans that Trinity takes into the Academy and the homeless they offer shelter to in return for their "services." Trinity gives the pretense of offering good will towards the unfortunate who want to escape the slums. But they don't know the horrors until it's too late. And with an endless supply of orphans and the homeless means more nugs for the slaughter."

Dominic looked at the other two ex-soldiers in the room; his steely grey eyes that were often calculating had then, in that moment, looked dull and tired. Kai hadn't noticed before the bruises under his eyes, showing her that the rebel leader wasn't getting much sleep, and why would she have noticed before? She had been too caught up in her own drama to notice anything _but_ herself.

"Did Trinity ever make you guys face those monsters?" Dominic asked.

Kai and Jameson glanced sideways at each other, both clamming up. It had been years since Redcliff, and being two of the survivors, it was still hard to talk about. At least it was for Kai, she had no idea how Jameson felt since they hadn't taken the time to sit and talk about it. Jameson cleared his throat while Kai crossed her arms and leaned her hip against the table, looking down at the 3-D map of Thedas.

"It's not something you can easily put out of your mind," Jameson said, looking around the table at the faces of everyone. He averted his gaze to the table. "I'm sure you've all heard about the so-called accident in Redcliff?"

"You mean the nuclear meltdown that wiped out the city?" Oswald asked, "Are you saying that wasn't a tragic accident?"

"Tragic, yes. Accident Well…" Jameson trailed off, looking at Kai for backup who merely shrugged and turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze.

"I don't want to talk about it." Kai sharply.

"That bad, eh?" Oswald observed.

"Why are you being so stubborn? Whatever information you have about Trinity will help our cause." Dominic said, stepping forward towards Kai but Jameson stepped in between them, blocking off the other man's advance.

"It was a nightmare, okay?" Kai snapped back and this time Jameson had to put his arm out in front of her, staying in between the two, more so in favor of protecting Kai. "Everyone who came down with us died. Eaten alive by those—those _monsters!_ I barely got out of that Void by the skin of my teeth."

Jameson turned around to face Kai, placing a hand on her tense shoulder. "Hey, it's okay." He looked back at the others. "Excuse us." he said before moving his hand from her shoulder to the middle of her back and walking her out of the room. Silence followed in their wake until the doors closed behind them.

"They were down there for over twenty hours. I had lost communication with them almost immediately after they entered the compound. By hour ten we were receiving orders from HQ to seal the doors and evacuate Redcliff. I had to negotiate with HQ to give the team the allotted twenty-four hours that they originally ordered." Cor said.

"Why? What happened in there?" Dominic asked.

"Redcliff didn't experience the nuclear plant melting down, it was Trinity. They fired a nuc and used the plant as a cover up." Cor said.

"At least you were able to pull the kids out in time." Dominic said.

"Not soon enough, if you ask me." Cor said, scrubbing a hand over his tired face. "There's a reason why Kai refuses to talk about it. A reason why you should never again bring it up around her. They saw enough to scar them for a lifetime. _Hawke_ saw enough for a lifetime. But I wish I could say that that was the last of those fuckin' things."

"But what exactly did they see?" Dominic asked.

"You can't imagine what they had gone through, but the video their suits recorded painted a gruesome picture. All fifteen soldiers who went in were all slaughtered by the undead. Hawke…she got separated and Silas had to find go in and track her before Trinity blew up the place sky high." Cor said.

"Who's Silas?" Oswald asked.

"A seasoned Spectre." Dominic said, having met the Qunari when he was still serving under Trinity.

"Jameson and two others had come back, claiming everyone was dead, including Hawke, but her suit was still showing her vitals, letting us know that she was still alive. Silas had gone in and tracked her down. I don't know the full extent of what went on down there, but it was obvious by the boys' reactions to seeing her that _something_ had happened between the four of them." Cor said.

"What do you mean?" Rylo asked, his beady eyes now wide with anticipation.

Cor couldn't resist the smirk that tugged the corner of his mouth at the memory. "Whatever falling out they had she got them back for it."

"Meaning?" Dominic asked, a little annoyed by the unnecessary prolonging.

"She took Silas' gun and shot all three of them without missing a beat. And they were clean shots, too. Right through their legs." Cor chuckled. Oswald let out a belting laugh. "Those boys got her message loud and clear that she was pissed at them. And like a perfect revenge she became a Spectre not long after. But despite her success it's obvious that what happened in Redcliff left a very deep scar."

xxxxx

Jameson brought Kai into an unused room, sensing that she was more than just upset at having Redcliff brought up. It was her body language and the way she just simply shut out everything.

"Hey, talk to me." he said softly to her.

Kai didn't look at him.

"Does it still bother you?" he asked.

Kai then slowly looked up at him with her blue eyes. "Does it still bother you?" she countered, throwing back his question at him. Jameson cupped the side of her face, looking into her eyes and seeing that the events of Redcliff still did, indeed, affected her.

"Time helped. Talking about it…it took me a long time before I was able to talk about what happened." Jameson said, gently brushing his thumb across her cheek.

"I never spoke about it to anyone." Kai said, "I felt like if I never spoke about it then it would just go away."

"Clearly it didn't work."

Kai let out a dry, humorless laugh.

"You know what got me through the trauma?" Jameson asked, getting her attention again. "I thought about you. I thought about how I did the most horrible thing and you emerged from the darkest pit and got your deserved revenge by shooting me."

A laugh erupted from Kai and Jameson grinned at her, glad to see her mood lifting.

"You're never getting an apology for that, just so you know." she said.

"I'm not holding my breath for that." he replied before lowering his head to press his lips to hers. When he pulled away from the kiss his crooked grin returned to his face. "I've been wanting to do that for years."

"You probably would've gotten another bullet in the other leg." Kai joked.

"Yeah, you're right." he said before kissing her again. Kai raised her hands to bury her fingers into his soft hair, pulling him closer to her. Emboldened, Jameson pushed her up against the wall, opening her mouth to him and plunging his tongue into her. Their kiss grew heated and in a blur of hands and rough groping Kai had her legs wrapped around Jameson's, grinding against each other. Their dry humping was rough and feverish and the release, even though it was much needed, lacked the satisfaction of actual intercourse. But it did the job. Kai felt a little bit lighter in her heart.

xxxxx

That evening, dinner consisted of dry rice patties that tasted like sawdust and gummy cubes to substitute liquid. Kai was sitting with Mimi in their cramped, icy room, wrapped up tightly in their aluminum blankets and huddled close by the space heater for warmth. The Flynn and Javan were in the lab, helping the mages with their time machine while Bjorn was off Maker knows where. The earlier jovial feeling of their little surprise party for Kai and Flynn had been spoiled for Kai when Redcliff had been brought up. She had never spoken of it with her friends, even when they had visited her in the hospital she never uttered a hint of what happened, simply choosing to pretend that everything was fine when it obviously wasn't. For years her dreams were plagued with running from those monsters, from their outreaching, grey-skinned, bloodied hands and gnashing teeth. Those dreams always ending with those blood-red eyes staring straight at her.

"Kai, do you think we'll ever live a normal life again?" Mimi asked.

Kai snorted, "What's normal? I was trained as a Spectre, a military organization that kills and spies for the Council. You are an Ambassador who is believed to be dead."

Mimi sighed as she glanced over to the door where their duffel bags sat, packed and prepared to go at any moment. Cor had ordered that they stayed suited up, telling them to never let their guard down. It reminded her of the days when Cor was their team handler and had often sent them away on team building excursions that put them more danger than necessary, making the mage rather wistful. The mage looked at her friend's profile, admiring how even in the present danger that hung over their heads she knew when to switch her priorities without a second thought. Mimi had always been self-centered and self-absorbed, always keeping her distance in a fight and staying behind while her teammates bravely engaged in close combat. She admired how whenever they were on a mission Kai would always know what to say to keep up their spirits and focus, showing a brave face without a hint of fear.

Even after finding out about Trinity's betrayal, Kai kept in her tears and offered her shoulder to cry on. Even when it was Kai she should have offered a shoulder to Mimi had remained selfish and asked her to stay strong for them. For _her_. All because Mimi needed an anchor to hold her down. It was why she loved her. Mimi reached up and tucked the black hair behind an ear that had three silver rings pierced in the lobe, one half way up, another two in the helix, and then one in the tragus. She knew the other ear was the same and envied how Kai could pull off the bad girl look effortlessly.

"Thank you for being so selfless." Mimi said, resting her head on Kai's shoulder. "I know how much you want some space from all of us." She heard Kai sigh and her hand came up to pat the side of her face. Mimi closed her eyes; relishing the comfort she was being given.

"If I left you guys to your own devices you'd all end up in a black hole." Kai joked, making Mimi smile a little. A part of her was glad that Kai always resulted to humor during serious moments. A ping sounded off, indicating that one of them got a message on their phones. Sitting up straight both girls picked up their phones. Mimi's message box was empty while Kai's had one from Flynn.

 **It's go time.**

Bjorn was already up and the three of them quickly folded up their blankets into messy squares and stuffed them into the duffel bags. Kai slung on two of the bags, feeling the weight threatening to knock her down with the wrong shift in weight. Mimi carried her own while Kai and Bjorn both carried Javan's bag since it was the heaviest.

"What the fuck did Jav pack? The entire armory?" Kai grunted in annoyance as they hauled down the corridors.

"Knowing him he probably also packed the entire kitchen, too!" Bjorn added.

When the three of them arrived in the lab they couldn't help but collapse under the weight of the bags. Kai untangled herself from the straps as she glared over at the boys for not coming to get their own shit themselves. Thank the Maker that Cor insisted they all keep their weapons on them at all times. Flynn and Javan finally had gone over and relieve their friends of their own bags.

The portal was on and appeared to be working smoothly, the magic glyphs glowing green while in the center of the portal a swirl of colors gently churned.

"All right," Cor called to attention, looking at them the same way as if he were briefing them on their next mission until his hardened face relaxed and his dark eyes softened. "No, you're no longer those kids I handled. You're no longer agents of Trinity. You're now part of the rebellion against Trinity so here's our next mission: We're going to the past."

"We?" Kai interjected, "I thought I was going solo on this one?"

"We're going with you." Flynn said.

"Excuse me?" Kai said a little too defensively.

Javan snorted and crossed his huge arms over his massive chest. "Like we were gonna let you have all the fun without us."

Kai looked at Bjorn and Mimi, the only two who had hung up their gauntlets since the Academy. "Even you two?"

"Of course!" Mimi piped rather cheerfully.

"Don't worry, I haven't let my skills dull over the years." Bjorn said.

"Our objective is to locate Trinity's outposts in the past and disrupt their operation. Hattie has compared today's maps with the era we'll be going to, marking all of today's outposts into the maps, along with a few spots that no longer exist today but could be occupied."

"What if those posts are empty?" Javan asked.

"Move on to the next." Cor said simply.

"Sounds easy enough." Bjorn said.

Cor paced in front of them like he did when they were teenagers with one of his pep talks before a mission. It felt nostalgic. "Marius is putting in the final touches, calibrating it to send us to a time before the Armageddon War. It'll be a time where Thedas is different—better than the present. The air quality in the past has a higher percentage of oxygen, 200 times greater in fact. So Hattie and the mages have concocted a kind of antidote for you because of the exposure of radiation we've all had." Hattie had gone to the five of them, handing them each an autoinjector pen filled with a deep purple liquid.

"Cor is partially right," Hattie said, adjusting her thick glasses on her face, her red hair even messier than possible. "Because the air in the past isn't polluted your bodies will go into shock after ten minutes of breathing in the air without your masks on to control the amount of oxygen you'll be taking in. It's been calculated that the oxygen level even five hundred years in the past is 200% more oxygen than there is today. So as soon as you can, just take off the cap and jab as hard as you can into an arm or leg or stomach or neck or wherever you want—but not the eyes! Oh! And don't drink it; it tastes really-really-really terrible."

"What if something happens and we aren't able to use the antidote?" Bjorn asked.

"You'll die." Flynn said with a shrug.

"No no! You won't die (I don't think). Like I said before, your bodies will go into shock from the amount of oxygen that is introduced into your system, oxidizing your red blood cells which are used to being deprived of the recommended amount. With oxygen enriching the red cells, they will engorge from the oxygen and cause everything to speed up, slow down, back up, flush out and everything in between. So I theorize that it'll feel like a drug addict going cold turkey under water. You'll vomit, experience fluxes in your body temperature, trouble breathing, muscle cramps, vertigo, amnesia, possible blindness and the loss of fine motor skills." Hattie said, "—But it could all be temporary! (Or permanent)."

"You make the possibility of agony just sound so appealing." Kai said as she stuffed the pen in her bag.

"Now remember, this is a different Thedas that we know, which means there are more dangers that you have never encountered. Animals and beasts and plants that have long been extinct. You have to stick together as a team." Cor said, "If you get separated for more than six hours send a signal flare. There's a good chance that anything electronic won't work until you find a way to connect to the satellites."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you're coming with us, right?" Flynn said.

"No, you five will be on your own while I stay here to help the rebels keep Trinity off our arses." Cor said.

"I feel so grown up with no chaperone on this little field trip." Flynn said. Kai shook her head and rolled her eyes as she walked over to Jameson who was looking like a kicked dog.

He handed over Kai's helmet. "Just when I finally made progress with you and you're off on some wild adventure. Wish I were goin' with ya."

Kai took her helmet, turning the dial on the side to revert it to its "closed" state and placed in against her right ear. "You can still come with us."

"No. I feel like I can do a lot more here than in the past" he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. If he was squeezing them she wouldn't have felt it through her armor. "Plus I'd probably just get in your way. Ever since Redcliff I haven't done much field work and mainly focused on my piloting skills."

"Then I wish you luck." Kai said, not knowing what else to say.

Jameson cupped her face with both his hands and tilted it up to meeting him as he placed a gentle kiss to her lips. "May Andraste watch over you."

Kai gave a little laugh, feeling her eyes sting with oncoming tears and heat rising to her cheeks and ears, and she tried desperately to keep them from falling as she pulled away from him and returned to her friends who were already waiting on the platform.

"Is this a one way trip?" Javan asked.

"Technically, yes, but according to Cor you'll be able to find devices at a Trinity outpost that can bring you back to this point." Marius said.

"And what if it doesn't?" Javan asked.

"Then we're stuck." Bjorn said in an obvious tone.

Kai felt the icy hand of dread grip her heart and looked to Jameson who was staring back at her. In her heart, Kai knew that she would never see him again and it was obvious that Jameson was thinking the same thing. Breaking eye contact first, Kai turned around to face her team, turning the dial in her ear to activate her helmet.

"All right!" Marius hollered as he enthusiastically went over to the computer to lock in the destination. "All aboard the Marius Time-warp Express! Now remember, the wormhole is unpredictable but if you all hold onto each other you'll minimize the risk of drifting off course." Marius said, "Ready?"

Suddenly there was a loud boom that echoed down the corridors, putting everyone on high alert. Another boom, followed by the sound of crashing metal and rock. The lights flickered, threatening to shut off completely. All of a sudden there was quiet and one of the mages went to the door to check only to suddenly let out a howl of shock, followed his blood curdling screaming that was drowned out by savage growls and grunts. In the next breath a horde of hideous creatures appeared in the doorway, fresh blood down their fronts and hands. Their wild eyes equally as red. Jameson and Cor instantly ran for the guns while the remaining mages threw up a barrier to keep the monsters from getting in.

"Undead!" Javan yelled, instantly reaching for his weapons when Bjorn stopped him.

"We have to stick together." Bjorn hissed.

"Marius!" Cor yelled.

Marius turned to activate the portal but saw that the lights flickering earlier had reset his coding formula. He hastily began to re-enter the formula, his fingers gliding over the keys like they were on fire. From his anxiety he began to sweat as he furiously typed.

"The barrier is starting to come down!" Jameson yelled as the undead clawed and pushed at the barrier relentlessly in their bloodlust. Jameson immediately started firing at the undead, followed by Cor as it took several shots to bring one undead down. The lights flickered again before the power shut off completely, the only light coming from the portal behind the five and the blue light from the fading barrier.

"Shit!" Marius cursed as he kicked the computer and turned around to face the portal, figuring he only had one last option by doing it manually. "I need two of you to help with the spell!" he yelled as he grabbed his staff.

Two of the mages ran to stand on either side of Marius with their staves at the ready and stood to create a triangle, lighting the glyphs and beginning to chant as one, the glyphs coming alive even brighter. The third mage remained with Jameson, throwing out spell after spell. Kai couldn't hear anything past her pounding heart as she fidgeted where she stood, wanting so badly to help them but Bjorn kept her planted with a vice-like grip on her arm.

The undead were endless as they climbed over each other, flooding faster into the lab and forcing the defense to move back. Two undeads broke through and went after Jameson who fought back, quickly getting overwhelmed. Cor shot at the undead on Jameson, aiming for their heads while fending off the undead on him. The mage was overwhelmed, screaming as he was savagely bitten and ripped apart. Suddenly the undead were thrown back across the room, Mimi having stepped forward and using her force magic on them before Flynn pulled her back onto the platform.

Dominic scrambled up onto his feet, still holding his gun and covered in blood. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jameson laying on the ground, still as stone. He grabbed the back of Jameson's vest and dragged him towards the portal, stopping outside the glyphs and turning back to keep shooting as the undead ran towards them.

The air began to move around them, picking up speed as the glyphs were now ablaze and the wormhole crackled and sparked.

"GO! NOW!" Marius screamed.

"NO!" Kai yelled when she saw Cor blocking an undead from biting him. She pulled away, taking a step out of the glyph but was stopped by the look Dominic gave her while fending off the undead. She felt an arm around her waist and pulled her back and instantly was pulled into the wormhole just as she saw him knocked down by three undead and then was lost in a sea of swirling lights and colors.

"Everyone stay together!" Kai ordered firmly, her brain switching gears to the soldier she was raised to be. Javan and Flynn held onto Mimi and Bjorn and they held onto Kai. The five of them slipping through the stream path they were on and a scream escaped from Mimi. Everyone looked to see an undead had followed them through the wormhole and had grabbed a hold of Mimi's leg. Two more were clawing up the first. Kai kicked at the monster, only for it to grab onto her legs and climb up her body. Bjorn and Mimi were trying to fight them off while trying not to let go of each other while the undead snapped its hungry teeth at Kai, biting at Kai's armor and trying to find a chink in her armor.

Kai released her grip of Bjorn and Mimi to push with both hands at the undead, punching it to make it let go. It clawed up at her head, its nails scraping across the smooth surface of her helmet. Kai looked directly into the wild red eyes of the undead as it screeched and craned its neck to take a bite out of her. Kai pushed it away as far as her arms could stretch. Within the struggle her teammates lost their hold of her and she and the three monsters were thrown off course.

"KAI!" Mimi screamed, reaching out for her but Javan pulled her tightly against him and Bjorn closed the gap, knowing that they had to stay their course. "KAI! KAAAI!"

"I think that's our exit!" Flynn yelled, seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

xxxxx

From falling through a vortex of weightless gravity and dizzying colors the four of them flew out through the exit, landing with hard thuds onto solid ground. They each groaned as they picked themselves up.

"Everyone alive?" Flynn asked through gritted teeth as he looked around, counting heads up. "Hawke! Shit!"

"Everyone, get your antidotes," Javan said, setting his bag down to dig out his autoinjector pen. The other three did the same, though Mimi lagged, upset that Kai didn't make it with them. Bjorn knelt down in front of Mimi, taking her pen and firmly pushing it against her thigh. She jumped slightly at the sting of the needle that punched through her suit and skin, injecting the antidote into her bloodstream. Once it completely emptied itself into her the needle automatically retracted, rendering the pen useless.

Bjorn stood up and surveyed their surroundings, leaving his helmet on to give the antidote some time to work itself through his system. The lens of his helmet was calculating the area, making a graphic scan of everything that was within view. He would be lying if he said he wasn't in awe of what he was seeing; trees, lots of trees. They were in the middle of a forest, an actual forest!

"Amazing…" Bjorn breathed, finally taking off his helmet and breathing in the fresh air, letting it fill his lungs completely. He couldn't get enough of it, exhaling quickly to take in another lungful, feeling as though his body had been starved of it.

"Whoooaa!" Javan breathed, looking up through the tree branches at the streams of light shining through the leaves. "Everything is so…hi-def."

"It's so beautiful," Mimi said, letting a tear roll down her cheek, never before seeing anything so beautiful. She walked up to the closest tree, taking a glove off to touch the bark. The feeling of it, rough and warm beneath her fingers. "Marius really did it…his spell worked!"

"All right, guys, first things first. We need to get our bearings and find out where we are. Let's get some altitude." Flynn said, picking up his bag again and taking the lead.

 _Kai…Please be alive._ Mimi thought.

xxxxx

Falling out from the dizzying wormhole, Kai fell flat on her stomach and her duffel bag dropped onto her back, forcing the air out of her lungs. She reached behind her and pulled the heavy bag to roll off her back while she tried to focus her mind, trying to stop the spinning in her head as she slowly pushed herself up onto her knees with shaky limbs. Her elbows shook, feeling like gelatin. The vision inside her helmet was glitching, unable to focus. She groaned and smacked the side of her helmet, trying to get the damn thing to work but gave up and turned the dial to disengage it. Unfortunately her helmet was obviously damaged and malfunctioning, forcing her to yank it off her head. She blinked open her eyes, her vision blinded by the brightness around her as she blindly pushed herself up onto her feet, her legs feeling weak and threatening to give out on her.

It was just too bright, and the air…it was hard to breathe suddenly. Her helmet—fucking undead had damaged it in the vortex. She felt like her lungs were filling up with a thick slurry and choked for air. Next thing she realized her stomach lurched, the strength in her legs failing her as she dropped like a rock to her hands and knees. Her stomach lurched again and she vomited, the sour and acidic bile came up, burning her throat as her body seized, her abdominal muscles kept squeezing and contracting, pushing more bile up her throat. Unable to breathe, unable to see, and the pounding of her heart thrumming loudly in her ears.

She was gripped with fear. She didn't know where she was and she was fearful that she was dumped in the poisoned, inhospitable environment wasteland. Exposed to the radiation, to death. Her entire body ached in a way she couldn't describe, every fiber every cell in her felt like they were being compressed under a great pressure.

After a few more minutes of gasping, dry heaving, and tears, the world began to slow down. Her eyes began to adjust to the bright light, though it hurt her eyes. Breathing was still a challenge but at least her stomach had seemed to calm down enough to loosen up. Blinking again the first thing her eyes were able to see was green. The color green. She pushed her palms and fingers down, feeling a texture she had never encountered. Soft and layered and a little bit itchy. Shakily she pushed up and sat back on her knees, blinking and squinting. She brought a hand up to her face, shielding her eyes as she tried to focus, bright colors blurred around her. That was when she noticed her fingers were loose inside her gloves.

That was a weird.

She patted herself down, tugging on her armor that had once fit like a second skin was loose all over. Did she shrink?! Was this normal? Shit! Her lungs were on fire! It was getting harder to breathe.

A soft breeze caressed her face and combed gently through her hair. Another sensation she had never felt. It felt good, soothing even and helped her momentarily forget her growing list of concerns. Such an experience would possibly be more amazing if only breathing wasn't so hard and making her head spin again as she hunched forward and hung her heavy head. She coughed, her lungs and throat constricted from the air. It took her several minutes before her coughing fit calmed down, just in time to hear the deep guttural sound of the monsters that had gotten her separated from her team inside the wormhole.

Her head snapped up and turned to her right, squinting her eyes she could make out the blurry figure of the undead monsters getting up from the ground. Even with her impaired eyesight she could distinctly see the blood red eyes looking at her that always gave her goosebumps. Not to mention the smell…the distinct stench of rotting flesh. She saw them move, locking in on her and she wasn't even halfway to recovering.

But she had to move.

She had to fight.

She had to SURVIVE!

The undead let out a loud screech as they clambered for her. Adrenaline taking over, Kai jumped up onto her feet, dipping into her reserves and reached over her shoulders, cursing loudly when she didn't feel the familiar grips of her weapons. She must have lost them in that blighted wormhole. One knocked her flat on her back and it took everything she had to keep the blighted thing from taking a huge bite of her face. She felt a searing pain drag across her left cheek as the undead had taken a lucky swipe at her with its filthy nails. Within the struggle of keeping the thing at arm's length she managed to get her feet under it and pushed back with all she had, giving her the space to scramble onto her feet. Her head was still in a fog, her vision still bordering along being legally blind, and the sour taste of bile returning in her mouth. She was seriously at a disadvantage and if she didn't get her bearings fast she was dead for sure.

She touched her thighs, feeling the familiar shape of her guns. The handles felt oddly bigger in her palms than she remembered but she had no time to ponder that as she removed them from their holsters and fired several rounds. Even though her vision was impaired, she could still make out their blurry forms, seeing them jerk from the bullets' impacts. One fell, leaving two and then one. Kai boldly knocked the last one down when it got too close to her, pinning it down with her boot before firing a final bullet into its head.

Kai took in a careful breath as she looked around, her vision still blurred and impaired but at least this time she could make out a little more. Walking away from the dead undead she scanned the area as best as she could but with the adrenaline waning fast she was reminded again that she could hardly breathe. She needed to find her duffel bag and take the antidote. But where the fuck did she leave her bag? Fuck! Why does it have to be so bright?

"You there!" called a voice, male she figured as Kai turned around on unsteady legs. She saw blurry blue figures, she couldn't discern how many as they approached. "Girl! Who are you?" the same voice asked.

Kai blinked slowly, she could already feel herself losing consciousness. She felt something warm drip down her lips and chin, prompting her to reach up and touch her mouth and pull her hand back, seeing her gloved fingertips glisten with moisture. Blood?

"Serah, are you all right?" the same voice asked as the blue blur came closer. "Serah?" Kai squinted her eyes, trying to focus as her lungs felt like she was drowning. "Serah!" Kai lost what little strength she had and remembered nothing more.


	5. Chapter 4 - What!

Chapter Four – What?!

Carver Hawke came up to stand over the passed out girl. He and his troupe of Wardens had been watching since the moment the portal ripped through the air and out fell the girl. His first concern was that it was a Fade Rift. Carver ordered the Wardens to hold their positions while they observed, watching the girl. She was dressed in all black, her armor seeming to be a loose fit on her petite frame. Carver observed how disoriented she was, how her movements looked strained as if her strength was left behind in the portal she fell out of. She yanked off her smooth helmet before wretching on the spot and saw how she tried to sit up and look around until something caught her attention. He watched as she was then attacked by three hideous creatures. He thought it was a darkspawn but he didn't sense the taint from it—at least not the usual taint he sensed from normaldarkspawn. It had knocked the girl down who was struggling underneath it.

"Warden-Captain, they're going to kill her." said Killian.

Carver nodded in agreement as he reached over his shoulder for the handle of his greatsword but stopped mid-action when he saw the girl kick the monster off of her. He watched on, observing the girl curiously, watching how whatever ailed her before seemed to have gone away the moment she sensed her life was in danger. He watched as she took down the monster with a strange weapon that cracked through the air with a flash of lightning. When he felt that no other surprise will come forth he motioned his squad to move forward as he called out to the girl.

When his approach brought him within an arm's reach he saw the blood stream down her nose and the unfocused look on her paled face before her striking blue eyes rolled to the back of her head and passed out. He caught her in time and lowered her down safely to the grass. Upon a closer look the girl was very young, barely approaching womanhood, and her clothes…the strange armor she wore, it was made of no metal he was familiar with and it was flexible. And her weapons…so strange. Were they magic? When he looked back at her face he paused as a sense of familiarity washed over him.

 _Sister?_ he thought before pushing that thought away. It couldn't be his older sister; this girl was obviously not her. First of all this girl was…well, a _girl._

"What will we do with her, Ser?" Killian asked, the archer of their troupe.

"We cannot leave this girl here in this state, she will die." said Marie, the only mage in their troupe. "Warden-Captain, we should bring her with us."

"No, you saw what else came through with her," Killian said, "For all we know she could be leading the next wave of the Blight."

"She is just a child!" Marie argued.

"Ser Marie is right, we cannot leave her. We will bring her back with us to Weisshaupt Fortress. When she is well we will question her." Carver said, picking the girl up.

The fourth member of the troupe had grabbed the black duffel bag and found a pair of black daggers laying in the grass just inches away from where the bag was. He looked for a pocket to put the daggers in the black bag when he saw what was printed on the side. He hurried up to his Warden-Captain as they all set off, on their journey back to the Warden Headquarters. When they were just ready to move on he called out to Carver to wait.

"Warden-Captain," called Arthur, as he trotted up to Carver's side with the duffel bag, "Ser, you should see this." he shifted the heavy bag to show the side of it, revealing in white, stenciled letters a name that made Carver's stomach suddenly flip.

 **K. Hawke.**

Carver looked back at the unconscious girl's face, her head rolled back and hanging limp with her throat exposed. His mind in a hurricane of confusion and questions. Another Hawke? But the only Hawkes left were his older sister and himself. Unless…this girl was his sister's daughter? **K. Hawke.** Kailah?! No! Impossible! His niece had been kidnapped as an infant and was never seen again. The letter his sister had written after it had happened had been short…and painful.

His heart had broke for his sister's loss.

Yet…could this girl be…?

"Warden-Captain?" Arthur asked, bringing Carver out of his head.

"I'll look into it later. We're wasting time just standing around. Let's keep going. Weisshaupt is only a week's journey away." Carver said, taking the lead again. When they made camp that night, the girl had been lain out on one of the bedrolls and her injuries were attended to by Marie, who was also their healer. While Marie stayed with the girl, Carver was on the other side of the camp, staring at the name on the side of the bag.

He had attempted to open the bag to look through its contents to find clues and information about just who the girl was but had come across a dumbfounding situation—the bag just would not open. It was like no bag he had ever seen, it didn't have a simple flap or clasp to keep the contents in. No, it was sealed shut by a metallic strip that was woven shut. He saw that at one end was a tag that had been locked in place by a strange looking lock. The lock was smooth with an indent on one side of its flat surface where his thumb could fit. There was no keyhole to try to pick open, and when he tested its strength when he tugged on it, his thumb easily slipped into the indent and immediate felt a shock fire up from his thumb pad to his shoulder.

It had caught him off guard as he yelped in surprise and jumped to his feet, shaking the prickly sensation out of his extremity. It was protected by magic, he concluded, but then he thought of just simply cutting the bag open. It wasn't as though the body of the bag was made of metal, just made from a tightly woven fiber of unknown origin. But of course this tactic proved useless as well as he and two other Wardens tried to cut through the material with their knives, even going as far as trying to slice it open with swords. Yet, to all of their astonishment (and irritation to Carver), the bag remained resilient to them. Even Marie's magic proved useless against the resilient bag. With frustration and impatience, Carver just had to wait for the girl to wake up so that he could have her open the bag herself.

Before his attempt at opening the mystery bag, Carver had examined the daggers that Arthur had found by the girl's bag. They looked like normal daggers made of black steel, the handle to blade ratio was well balanced and the grip was comfortable to hold. From the tip of the blades to the butt of the handle were symbols engraved on either side of both daggers. He would have missed them altogether had he not felt the grooves of them carved into the metal. He wondered if it was for mere decoration or if they held a purpose. Then there was the other weapon, the strange one she had used to kill those monsters. He found it curious that something so small and oddly shaped could be so powerful.

"I doubt she came through that strange portal willingly," Marie said, coming to sit beside the Warden-Captain, recognizing when he was brooding. Marie released a tired sigh and rubbed her temples and showed him one of the girl's black gauntlets. "And that armor of hers, great Andraste! It took me forever to find the buckles to take it off of her, and it's so light and flexible but thin. An arrow would possibly pierce through this thing in one shot, I'm certain."

Carver analyzed the gauntlet, running his thumbs over the smoothness that felt like metal but mixed with something else that he couldn't name. He tested it, bending it, flexing the wrist joints of it. He touched the inner lining of the gauntlet, the material lining within was soft like satin. He was curious to test the armor's strength, the warrior in him skeptical about something so thin and light could ever withstand the heat of battle.

"Then there are the markings on her forearms and hands. The tattoos are a series of spells overlapping each other. It took me awhile to decipher each layer, a spell for lightning, a spell for negative force, and at least a dozen others that I'm not familiar with or can't read. The formulas are too complex for me to decipher. And all together…I have absolutely no clue what they can do. I plan to study them when we get back to Weisshaupt and I have a feeling she may have more spells tattooed on her body." Marie looked to where the girl laid and shook her head in pity. "Maker's breath, I can only imagine what desperate circumstance would require for a non-mage to seek magical protection on her skin."

"Did you sense anything while you healed her? Anything…evil?" Carver asked, implying if the girl was an abomination.

Marie shook her head in response. "No, but I did sense _something._ " she said, getting his attention from the slight tilt of his head towards her, showing her that he was listening. "I sensed a trace of the taint in her. It's very slight, I nearly missed it while I was healing her but I seriously doubt she is a Warden. My best guess is that she could have been infected in some way and built an immunity to the darkspawn taint." Carver let out a shaky breath that he didn't even realize that he was holding. "That also leaves the question about the name on the bag. It could belong to anyone, she could have taken it knowing or unknowingly with her from wherever she came from."

"Yes…" he sighed heavily, "There's always that possibility." Carver couldn't explain why but deep in his gut, he knew that she was his niece. In his heart he _willed_ it to be true. He had already lost so much, his father, his twin sister Bethany, and then his mother. The only family he had left was his older sister and even then he was afraid that his family legacy ended with them. _Him_ , unable to settle down and raise a family of his own because of his duty of being a Warden, his commitment to having a purpose outside from his sister's shadow. His sister…she must have taken her husband's name, no doubt.

"Also…it appears she is very sick. My magic can only do so much and I poured _a lot_ of mana into that kid. She can barely breathe, and she's broken out in a fever that no matter what I do it just won't go down. While I was healing her I sensed that her body, her organs, her blood, it carries a taint that isn't darkspawn... It almost feels like a cancer that has taken over every cell in her body inside and out."

"Will she make it?" he asked softly, trying hard to keep his voice from quivering.

Marie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. But we're dangerously low on potions and lyrium. Giving her one of the potions leaves us with only two vials left."

"All the more reason we should pick up our pace at first light." Coughing came from the unconscious girl; the sound was deep and painful sounding. Marie moved to stand but Carver stopped her with his hand on her arm. "Get some rest, I'll watch over her." he said and stood up, going over to the girl and kneeling down by her, picking up the bowl of water and rag, wringing out the excess water and dabbing at the girl's sweaty forehead and cheeks. "Maker, watch over this child and shine your light upon her and heal what ails her body and spirit."

xxxxx

Kai walked through the dark corridor of the abandoned lab, cautiously making her way to the lower levels, heavily armed to the teeth. With only their flashlights lighting the way, and feeling on edge, they had to be prepared for anything. The place gave her the creeps as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She saw something scurry just on the edge of the light and flashed her light in that direction, inching closer. An outline of a silhouette could be seen as she got closer, it was hunched over behind a column, twitching and jerking. When she got close enough she shined her light upon it, seeing that it was person, and when it turned around Kai's breath was caught in her throat.

Red eyes looking up at her, feral and hungry, its face and hands covered in sticky blood as it unleashed an unnatural, gurgling scream and lunged at her—

Kai gasped loudly, her eyes opening wide as her body seized and her eyes popped open, surprising the two Wardens who were carrying her on the stretcher. Where she was, what time it is, whether if she was alive or dead or in between, it was all so…foggy. She felt that she was moving but she wasn't moving. Or was she? She didn't know. Every so often she would catch a glimpse of green and brown and flashes of blinding light. She felt hot and cold, every nerve in her body tingled like pin pricks, much to her groggy annoyance. She occasionally heard voices of people, sometimes catching a sentence or two but then quickly forgetting what was said.

Another jostle, this time it was strong enough to start up a coughing fit—or more like her trying to catch her breath between wheezing, coughing, and choking on built up phlegm. It would possibly make life easier if she were to just cough up her lungs. The coughing became so violent that it caused every muscle in her body to tighten and squeeze, her hands reaching up to the collar of her shirt in an attempt to alleviate any constriction. It didn't even occur to her in her frantic state that her armor was missing. Hell, she was even clawing at her own throat, the burning pain on her skin worth it if she can stop coughing and breathe again. She felt her upper half being lifted up so that she was in a sitting position. The simple movement alone was enough for her to lurch over to her right and vomit up a slimy, thick, mouthful of phlegm and stomach bile. And if her eyes weren't seeing things, what she hacked up was black. She took in a shaky breath, feeling a little relief in her chest after that, but her mind was still swimming and she was on the verge of passing out again.

"…ild?" Kai blinked slowly, taking a moment as her brain began to finally feel like its wires were reconnecting and the synapses were to kick-start the engine that turned on her awareness. "…ou al…child?"

Kai stiffened when she realized that there was a hand on her back and left arm, not seeing who was beside her. Kai snapped around and shoved away at the body beside her, the spells on her skin glowing red. It took her a second before registering that the other person was a woman. A harmless looking woman in blue. Blue…she felt like she should be remembering something regarding blue. But looks could be deceiving. The woman showed that she took no offense to Kai's reaction as she slowly sat up and held her hands up in peace.

"It's all right. You're safe." she said, enunciating every word slowly.

Kai's heart was pounding rapidly inside her chest as she looked back at the woman with wide blue eyes. Regardless of the situation, dangerous or not, Kai began to feel herself slipping back to unconsciousness as her adrenaline wore off and her tattoos stopped glowing.

"My name is Marie," the woman said, "What's your name?"

"H-Hawke…" Kai said, her voice hoarse and dry before her eyes closed and she slumped over. Marie caught her and moved her gently back on the stretcher they made from one of their tents. Marie opened a canteen and lifted Kai's head, tilting the canteen gently to feed a sip of water into her mouth. For nearly the entire journey Marie nursed Kai while they journeyed back to Weisshaupt, and every time she used her healing on her she could sense whatever was ailing the girl was slowly purging out of her system.

Carver's jaw clenched, the questions just piling up and crowding his thoughts as he stared down at the girl while Marie dabbed at Kai's clammy face with a wash cloth. He caught the mage's eyes who looked back up at him with concern reflecting on her face. Hawke. She said her name was Hawke. Carver's deepest wish came true, but now he regretted that wish because now he felt uneasy from all the open-ended theories that were fluttering about wildly.

They were only a few hours away now from reaching Weisshaupt, the fortress just within view in the distance. Their extra cargo had slowed them down immensely, needing to stop every few hours whenever Kai would go into another one of her coughing fits. They had ran out of lyrium two days ago and what was left of their potion was just a mouthful. Carver would have lost his temper every time they had to stop but the knowledge that this girl…the idea of losing more of his family wrenched at his heart and he prayed to the Maker and to Andraste every night to help this poor girl recover. Without any horses to carry some of the load, the four of them had to alternate carrying their gear and carrying each end of the stretcher.

Carver couldn't have been happier to be back at the Warden Headquarters as they were greeted by their fellows who assisted them by carrying the stretcher inside to the infirmary where their other healers resided. As much as Carver wanted to follow after them it was his duty to report to his Warden-Commander. He was gonna have one hell of a time trying to explain the rift that opened up and the girl that came out of it. Not to mention that her name was also Hawke, which will make things even more difficult.

"Maker help me." he sighed, looking up at the darkening sky.

xxxxx

Kai awoke with a start as she bolted upright, covered in a layer of cold sweat and grime. She blinked, focusing her eyes while she tried to calm her breathing. Her head ached with a dull migraine as she rubbed her hands over her face and up through her damp, oily hair. Her brow furrowing as she quickly realized that she was sitting in a bed, inside a room with grey stone walls. Just straight ahead of her was a wooden door and behind her was a glass-paned window that had sunlight streaming through and lighting up the drab room. Just to her left on the other wall was another wooden door that was slightly ajar and against the wall by the door was an armoire where her duffel bag sat upon its top. Finally, in the middle of the room stood a small table with a single chair, her armor and suit placed neatly on the chair cushion.

Kai took in a slow breath, noticing how much easier it felt to breathe while she searched her memory. She remembered Dominic and Jameson being killed by the undead right as she was pulled into the wormhole. More undead had followed them and to protect her team she foolishly let go of them and was hurtled away off their path. She remembered falling and white light and the undead attacking her again and then suddenly she was staring down at it as it laid dead. There were definitely gaps in her memory as she tried harder to remember what else happened.

She had a massive migraine and a deep hollowing feeling in her stomach. How long had she been out? What happened after killing those undead? Where are her friends? Trying to remember all she could recollect after that was blue…something, someone, in blue, and then nothing. Whoever it was obviously didn't kill her and brought to their home, wherever that was. All Kai knew was that she couldn't stay there any longer, she needed to focus on her mission and find her team.

 _Fuck…it's so hard to focus._

It was very frustrating to have no memory of what happened between then and now, but what came next was something she will have to investigate and being alone on foreign soil was definitely not leaning in her favor. On top of that she still felt like shit. Every inch of her ached and her stomach was painfully hollow. Her throat and mouth were as dry as the Western Approach. Looking at her bag across the room Kai remembered the antidote Hattie had given them before they left. If she took it then she wouldn't have to be going through a painful detox the brainy woman had warned about. Right? Slowly she pushed away the blanket from her and swung her legs over the edge, jumping in surprise when her feet touched the icy stone floor. She willed strength into her legs to stand, having to shift her feet apart to steady her weight and when she felt confident enough she walked towards her bag, never before being so conscious of each step she took.

Kai didn't realize just how weak her body had become until that very moment when suddenly her legs gave out and she fell flat on her face. With a pathetic groan she pushed her upper half up onto her forearms, her shoulders shaking from the effort. She must have been out a lot longer than just a few days if her body was this weak. Then again, it could also be from the detox and oxygen overload her body had gone through, still feeling the side effects as she currently had tunnel vision and broken out in a cold sweat. Not to mention her lungs still ached slightly with every breath. She suppose the only upside to all her current issues was that she was still alive at least.

Silver linings.

From where she was on the floor she looked around, blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the light in the room. Her vision was still slightly blurred but at least she could see a lot better than her first day when all the symptoms of oxygen poisoning hit her all at once. She was able to see a glimpse of her duffel bag sitting atop an armoire and from there she began to drag her body across the cold stone floor, the effort alone exhausting but she was determined to get to her bag, knowing that the antidote was inside it.

Reaching the foot of the armoire Kai then pulled out the bottom drawer and pulled herself up, concentrating on her legs to move so that she could at least sit up on her knees. The impulse to scream out her frustration was squashed down as she managed to pull one leg underneath her. She knew she was red in the face from the effort she had to put into sitting up, never having felt so weak in her entire life. Now with one leg where she wanted it, it was easy to simply pull her other leg under her. Kai paused and rest her sweaty forehead against the polished wood, panting heavily to catch her breath. This was definitely not an ideal predicament for her to be in, especially when she was alone and in a foreign territory. She already knew she was in the past, but how far in the past she had no idea. Then there was the fate of her friends. She had lost them in the wormhole, sacrificing herself to save them when the undead had latched onto Mimi. Obviously Kai didn't think it through since she simply reacted to the crisis.

Finally getting her breathing under control Kai then pulled out the middle drawer, not so far out that it would come out, just enough for her to hold onto as she pulled herself up enough to reach over her head for her bag. Stretching herself as much as she physically could her fingers wiggled to hook onto the strap before yanking it down. The bag fell on top of her, knocking her onto her back while her sheathed daggers clattered to the floor beside her. Hopefully, whoever brought her to this place, did not hear that.

Shit! That hurt.

Pushing the bag off her chest she laid there for a moment, rubbing the sore spot on her chest when she noticed something was off—or more accurately, missing. She sat up with some difficulty, rolling onto her side to get a better leverage. Once she was sitting up she looked down at herself, not missing that she wasn't in her armor anymore. A simple white chemise and…no underwear. Awesome. She pulled the neckline out to peek down inside the dress and saw that her chest—her breasts—had shrunk?!

Well, this day just keeps getting better.

While she was unconscious someone had clearly taken the liberty to change her clothes and while they were at it made her as flat as a board before puberty had kicked in. Though it wasn't like puberty had done her any good since her breasts never really filled in, not like Mimi's had. She seriously hoped there were no more surprises. Anyways, back to the current task at hand. She reached for her bag and dragged it closer. She glanced at her daggers that fell with her bag. Her captor(s) were either very stupid or did not think she was a real threat.

Crap. Distracted again.

She reached for the lock on her bag and pressed her thumb into the indent, allowing it to read her print before unlocking with a beep. She pulled the tag, unzipping it and began to dig around for the antidote; first searching in the side pockets and then rummaging through the rest, pushing aside bags of ration and bottles of food pills and hydration capsules. She was quickly losing her patience as she sat on her knees and grabbed the bag and dumped everything out onto the floor. Her other daggers, her knives, her disassembled gun pieces, a pair of extra clothes, the bags and pill bottles of rations and various other accoutrement that were essential to her, including her phone. Once satisfied that the bag was empty she began to sort through everything until she found the blighted pen but her excitement was short lived when she saw that the once full vial had been damaged sometime along her journey as a long crack trailed up the glass, leaving nothing but dried residue on the sides.

No…

NO…

 _ **NO!**_

"God dammit!" she screamed hoarsely and in a fit of rage threw the pen as hard as she could at the wall across from her. It bounced off the wall onto the floor, rolling halfway back to her as if mocking her misfortune. Her hand passed over a bottle of which she pulled out and to her surprise and relief she found a bottle of soldier pills. Thank the Maker these survived. She popped one of the pills into her mouth, swallowing the pellet dry and in seconds felt a surge of strength go through her, taking away the edge of pain from her migraine and the stiffness in her muscles as the adrenaline pumped through, forcing her heart to pump blood throughout her body and warming her blood.

Kai released a relieved sigh, feeling slightly better before continuing to search for the first aid kit, knowing that it would carry one or two restorative capsules. Hopefully those will heal what was left of the oxygen poisoning. Luck seemed to have tilted in her favor as she found the kit and opened it, a grin spreading across her face as she discovered it completely stocked with everything she would ever need. Opening the bottle that contained the restorative capsule, she popped it into her mouth and swallowed, giving it a few minutes for the gel shell to dissolve in her stomach and releasing the benefits. As expected, a cool feeling spread through her body from her stomach and instantly her migraine was gone and her vision was returning to normal. Another relieved sigh escaped her as she allowed her mind to wander. She was on her own, she didn't have Mimi to use her magic to heal her, and she was going to have to be more conscious of herself if she were to get into another fight. She may have plenty of capsules to spare in her emergency kit, but they won't last forever. She needed to come up with a plan.

A throat was cleared by the door and Kai's head snapped up to see a woman standing in the doorway, holding a tray in her hands. From where Kai sat she couldn't see what was on the tray and she had half a mind to pick up the closest thing to her to defend herself but quickly thought against it as her eyes flicked back to the broken pen.

Shit! She may be feeling a little better but she was far from being back to her normal self.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better." the woman said as she walked over to the table and set the tray down. Kai was then able to see a cup and the teasing tip of possibly something to eat. "Well, I wasn't expecting to come back to see such a mess." Kai looked up at the woman, feeling as if she had met this woman before, and as if picking up on Kai's thoughts the woman smiled. "I'm Marie, do you remember? My troupe found you in the middle of a field."

Marie watched Kai closely as she knelt down and sat on her knees in front of her, waiting for her to react in any way. As if like a switch Kai looked back at her and nodded curtly that she did recall. If vaguely. Marie's smile widened.

"You must be starving. Come, I brought you some soup. I had a feeling that today was the day you would finally wake up and I'm relieved to see that I am right." she said as she stood back up and walked around the mess on the floor to offer her hand to Kai. "I promise you I mean you no harm."

Kai hesitated before taking the offered hand and was surprised by the woman's strength as she pulled most of her weight up as she got to her feet. She was taller than her, which was shocking since Kai had thought they would be the same height. Did she shrink along with her boobs? Marie walked her over to the table, taking her suit and armor to place on the armoire to free the chair for Kai. Upon seeing the meal of clear broth and bread and a cup of water, Kai's mouth immediately watered as she dropped down onto the chair and picked up the bowl with her shaky hands and brought her face down to take a mouthful of the scalding liquid. This was real food! It wasn't dry and tasteless like the shit that passed for food in the future.

She spilled some of the broth as she choked a little and set the bowl back down, but the savory taste was revitalizing and she repeated the action but was more cautious when slurping in the liquid. In just minutes the broth was gone and already she was biting into the slice of bread, letting out a soft moan at the taste and soft texture. Never in her life had she bit into anything so _delightful_.

Marie giggled at the sight of the hungry girl, not blaming her for her haste to eat after being in and out of consciousness for over a week. Marie looked back at the contents on the floor, noticing that the mysterious black bag was open. She was relieved to see that the most dangerous item that she spotted were daggers and knives while everything else looked harmless. She looked back at Kai who had already finished the bread and was throwing back the cup of water in a secession of greedy gulps before releasing a satisfied sigh and putting the cup down.

"Now that you're fed how about a bath? I'm certain you're eager to get clean." Marie said as she walked through the door by the armoire. "Come on, I just need to reheat the water. It'll only take a second." Kai stood up and walked into the adjoined room, her legs still feeling weak but at least they supported her weight this time. The floor beneath her feet changed from cold stone to smooth tiles. In the center of the room was a copper tub filled to the brim with water. She watched Marie snap her fingers, conjuring up a spark and instantly steam began to rise up from the water.

"You're a mage." Kai noted.

Marie smiled brightly at her. "Yes, magic has its uses for simple things as reheating a bath." Kai eyed the steaming water, wondering just what Marie was intending to use so much water for. She's heard of baths, but only ever experienced an enzyme cleanse. She touched the surface of the water, the heat instantly warming her fingers. "Come on, take off your clothes and get in."

Kai looked at her rather startled. Take off her clothes? Why?! "I don't understand. Get naked and get into what?" she said, her voice still raspy. Marie blinked at her before bursting into a short, amused laugh.

"Don't tell me you've never had a bath before." Marie's laughter came to a quick halt when she realized that the girl wasn't joking. "Oh. Well I don't know how you get clean where you're from but here people take off their clothes and clean themselves in tubs of water, like this one."

"Seriously? That's such a waste of water."

"I take it where you're from water is scarce?"

"It is."

"Well here there is plenty to share with all of Thedas."

It was then that Kai remembered that she was in the past, how far in the past she didn't know but was going to find out. So if wasting water was something Thedosians did in the past then why not experience what it felt like? Kai pulled up the skirt of the chemise and pulled it over her head, trying to ignore the fact that she was getting naked in front of complete stranger. She just hoped the woman wouldn't pull a Mimi move and jump her. With Marie's help she gingerly climbed into the tub and slowly sank into the steaming embrace of the water. Kai let out a moan, having never experienced such indulgence in her life. Just how many people back in 20:04 would literally _kill_ to be in her place right now?

Marie stayed to help Kai get clean; washing the girl's black hair, lathering it up with flowery scented soap followed by an oil to soften her hair that smelled sweet like fruity nectar. While Kai had been sleeping Marie had intended to study the tattoos on Kai's body but found that they had vanished. The mage assumed the tattoos only showed themselves when the girl is emotionally distressed. The mage had to admit that whoever placed the spells clearly knew what they were doing as she had sensed the faint traces of lyrium within the ink. She had so many burning questions but she didn't want to scare the girl into silence and figured she will have to start small and work her way up to earn her trust.

"When you woke up the last time, it was before we reached Weisshaupt, and you told me that your name is Hawke. Is that a family name?" Marie asked.

So she's in Weisshaupt? "Yes." she replied.

"What's your given name?"

"Kai."

"Kai Hawke, what a strong name."

"What now? Gonna take this time for a little Q and A?"

"You're not our prisoner if that's what you're getting at." Marie said in a reassuring tone as she rinsed the soap from Kai's shoulders. "You're actually a…curiosity."

Kai snorted, "That's putting it nicely."

Marie giggled softly, "I suppose you're right."

"What do you want to know?" Kai asked, keeping her eyes trained on the water, fascinated and partially distracted by the sensation of warmth, wet, and a fluidity of the ripples that were made by moving her hands within the water.

"Hmm, I feel like you're trying to bait me in with this tempting offer of openness. Why so eager to share?"

"Because I can be a convincing liar."

"Ah, I see now. I'll have to take your words with a grain of salt. I accept your offer. Where are you from?"

"Kirkwall," Kai answered.

"Does all of your family live in Kirkwall?"

"No."

"Who are your parents?"

"Good question, I never met them."

"Oh? How so?"

"I'm an orphan, or so I was raised to believe."

"Were you raised in the Chantry?"

Kai let out a snort, finding that question funny. "No. The Chantry had no part in my upbringing."

"Then where were you raised?"

Time to detect a lie.

"Mostly in the Academy but my earlier years I was raised in a facility with other children who had been abducted from all over Thedas. Stuck me in a program that pitted all of us against each other."

Marie rinsed Kai's hair and wrung out the remaining water. "That's quite the story you got started on." She assisted Kai with toweling off the water, using her magic to warm the towel while she rubbed it through the girl's hair to help dry it faster. Kai was able to dress herself, putting on the spare clothes Marie had brought her, a warm wool dress that had been dyed a cool grey. The bath had a bigger effect on Kai than she realized as the soreness in her body had mostly eased up. In the back of her mind she hoped to have another bath in the near future.

Marie led Kai back out into the bedroom and sat her down in the chair. "So how did your first bath feel?" Marie asked, finding herself smiling a lot more when around Kai as she combed out the knots in her damp hair.

"Better than an enzyme cleanse, that's for sure." Kai said as she looked ahead. "Can I ask you something?"

"I think it's only fair that you do."

"Do you have any kids?"

Marie hesitated a second time that morning. "Being a Warden makes it hard to conceive, but I had a younger sister before I joined the Wardens, she lived with our parents back in Lothering during the Rift Crisis. Demons had attacked my village. No one survived."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's all right. I have to admit taking care of you feels like I'm making up for lost time. So if you don't mind, allow me to indulge for a little bit longer."

Kai just nodded her head.

Marie excused herself once she finished drying and combing Kai's hair, taking Kai's dirty clothes and the empty tray. Once the door was closed Kai moved to the floor, grabbing the belts of bullet magazines and the disassembled pieces of her guns in another pile by her knives. Her extra socks she immediately pulled over her icy feet and then wished she had had the foresight to pack a jacket or even a long-sleeved shirt. Of course she wasn't expecting to predict any sort of weather forecast in her haste but then recalled that Mimi was the one who always did the packing of extra things that Kai had always thought of as useless and immediately twisted around to grab her bag behind her. She unzipped the inner compartments and emptied them out. Hair brush: not really important but will keep. Toothbrush: definitely keep. Flares: keep. Flare gun: keep. _What the…? Why in the hell would she need lipstick?_ Trash.

She continued to sort through her things, making a pile of trash that she had no practical use for. After about an hour, Kai had already repacked everything, putting the rations in the inner compartments while her weapons were in the main part for easy access. She had reassembled her guns but did not load any magazines into them, thinking it was safer to avoid any friendly fire if someone were to pull the trigger by accident. Wait, she's missing a pair of pistols.

Crap.

"I'll have to take my losses with those." she muttered to herself. Her suit was rolled up and shoved inside the bag along with her armor that bent and flexed easily. The things she deemed trash were half-hazardly thrown into the bottom drawer of the armoire.

When she stood up she felt the blood drain from her head and she swayed, grabbing onto the armoire for balance while at the same time trying to keep herself from vomiting as her stomach clenched with nausea. Despite the modest meal and wonderful bath, her body was still detoxing and acclimating. She wondered just how long she was going to feel like shit since her pen had sprung a leak while she was unconscious. As kind as Marie had been to her, Kai had to stay focused on her mission. She was in Weisshaupt, the very fortress Trinity had converted into the Academy. She remembered during her orientation the instructor had said that most of the fortress' structure was the original part, only renovated for stability and practicality. And having walked practically every floor and accessible room in her time, finding her way around the fortress shouldn't prove to be much of a challenge. All Kai had to do was walk around, gage which floor she was on and which part of the fortress she was in and from there she could begin her search.

But first, she needed to get over this shitty feeling.

After a good stretch and popping a few tense joints Kai resumed to her task, grabbing her bag and bringing it over to the bed. She took a few pain killers, swallowing it dry and then took a soldier pill, feeling the rapid relief ebb through her, taking away some of her pain. Slumping back against the comforters of the bed, she stared up at the ceiling, contemplating her next move. She was in Weisshaupt, a familiar place—she couldn't have planned it better herself had she anything to do about her current circumstance.

She lied quietly in her bed, dozing off for a few hours before waking up again to a darkened room. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she looked around the room for her armor and suit, grabbing them and her helmet from the armoire with her flashlight on the small table. Grabbing them she changed out of the cotton chemise. It felt good to be wearing her suit and armor—comforting was the more appropriate description—though for some reason they weren't fitting as snugly as they used to. That's strange. Did time traveling warp and stretch her armor? She located her boots at the foot of the bed and slipped those on and buckled them in place. The only thing missing from her ensemble was her utility belt. She searched the room but couldn't find it, resolved to conclude that whoever brought her to this place had taken it. It was an inconvenience not to have it but it wasn't like she absolutely had to have it on her (well, a part of her felt rather naked without it).

Zipping up her bag and locking it, then strapping her daggers onto her back she slung the strap of her bag across her shoulder and picked up her helmet. If she remembered correctly it had gotten damaged in the struggle with the undead. Once she had her bearings and found a secured place, she will give it a good look over. Hopefully she had something in her bag to repair the damage, if it was repairable.

Kai turned off the flashlight and stuffed it into her boot, giving her eyes a few minutes to adjust to the dark before making her way to the door. As quietly as possible she tested the doorknob, surprised to discover that it wasn't locked (which was lucky since her lock picks were in her belt). With that, she quietly snuck out of the room, closing the door behind her.

xxxxx

Kai stopped to lean against the wall, trying to stay quiet while she caught her breath. Her body clearly was still suffering from the effects of the oxygen toxicity and she didn't want to waste any pills from her emergency kit. If they didn't work all that well the first time it would be a waste to try it a second time. It was quickly dawning on Kai that she couldn't keep this up, even if she wasn't moving as quickly as she would like, in fact she was literally one step above from shuffling her feet. The slow pace she was going at was exhausting her faster than anticipated and she didn't know how her body would react if she were to take another soldier pill not even an hour after her first one. Maybe if she was at half capacity from her usual self she could handle it, but her current state was unpredictable.

Even if she had been able to use the antidote that Hattie gave her there was no way of knowing if it would work. It was one of those moments of uncertainty, a paradox of what-ifs. Either way, it was too late now, she was already on one side of that spectrum (and it sucked). Keeping to the shadows was her best chance of going unnoticed as she navigated through the halls. She heard voices coming up the hallways along with an orange light that was growing brighter and closer. Kai looked around the hall and found small space behind a stone statue. Only down side was the space was too narrow for her to pull her helmet and bag in with her, not to mention herself. Cursing mentally she had no choice but to press herself against the side of the statue, hoping whoever was approaching won't see her.

As the voices got closer and the hall beginning to flood with light, Kai couldn't help but hold her breath. Her heart pounding rapidly in her chest, the thumping loud in her ears. It's been a long time since she felt this sort of danger, not since Redcliff. Two men walked by, one holding a lit torch, both chatting casually as they passed the statue Kai was pressed up against. Neither of them seem to have noticed her as they passed by and immediately she moved to quickly hide herself on the other side of the statue to keep herself out of view.

"Something wrong?" asked one of the two men that had walked by.

"Hmm, I don't know. I thought I saw something." said the other. Kai's blood ran cold. She didn't have the strength or stamina right now to fight them off to escape; on top of that she didn't trust herself to run a straight line while carrying her bag and helmet. If only she had her belt, a few pellet flash bombs would give her enough time to escape, a pellet grenade would be better, if not get a lot of attention. Then again she wouldn't be able to get away fast enough to escape the blast.

"It's late and these halls are always full of shadows playing tricks on us."

 _That's right, just ignore that gut feeling of yours and walk away._ Kai thought.

"You're probably right," Kai closed her eyes, feeling some relief rise up in her. "But I just want to double-check." _FUCK!_

Pulse beating wildly and adrenaline rushing through her veins; Kai parted her feet, coiling up to make a stand. As soon as the man peeked around her side of the statue Kai struck, swinging her helmet upwards, smashing the smooth surface right in the face and knocking him over before she bolted down the hall as fast as she could. She could hear the other one shouting behind her to stop. Turning down a corner Kai saw a stairway just up ahead and with one of the men hot on her heels, calling for her to stop, she acted without thinking and grabbed onto the stone railing of the stairs, swinging her body around and bound down the steps. It was a miracle in itself that she didn't trip as she practically flew down the flight of stony steps, and it was an even bigger miracle that she was still running at the speed she was going.

Of course that miracle was short-lived when she ran right into a man, bowling them both over. Kai landed hard on her right arm, feeling the joint in her elbow pop out of place, making her cry in agony. With her shitty luck as of late, she more than likely broke her arm from the impact, at best sprained it (as if). But she was a soldier; she had to push through the pain to survive. Kai gritted her teeth as she pushed herself up, breathing heavily from the sprint and feeling her hair cling to the sweat on her face.

"Are you all right?" asked the man she had just knocked over as he walked up to her. Clearly he recovered a lot faster than anticipated, putting Kai in a disadvantage position. Well, she started off with a disadvantage the second she woke up. She swayed a bit when she stood up too fast, the vertigo returning as her feet stumbled to root themselves, tripping over her helmet and falling backwards, a pained yelp escaping her when her injured elbow knocked into the floor. Gripping her injured arm, barely clinging to consciousness as what little strength was left in her drained away. Kai momentarily forgot that she wasn't alone until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you injured?" the man asked, but then his breath was caught in his throat. "M-Marian?"

"Anders!" came another voice, getting the man's attention as he looked away from Kai. "Good, you caught her."

"She's hurt, she needs healing." Anders said.

xxxxx

Walking slowly through the room with her pistol in hand, Kai cautiously swept the area with her eyes. The fluorescent lights had been blown out with just a few random bulbs flickering in the ceiling. Tables had been overturned, blood painting the floors and walls, broken glass crunched underneath her boots. There were no signs of life, no bodies to prove that there were once people there. Kai stopped and tensed up at the sound of a deep gurgling hiss behind her. She whipped around sharply with her pistol raised as an infected man lunged at her, teeth bared and wild red eyes fixed on her. Her finger squeezed the trigger and shot off several rounds as it still came for her, its hands outstretched with rotting flesh and blackened nails as she fired another round.

Kai opened her eyes, her pupils dilating and her breaths short. Her heart was racing away in her chest and her hands were gripping the sheets tightly. Blinking a few times Kai then sat up slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose and feeling how clammy her skin was.

"You're awake," came a gentle voice, making Kai immediately look up to see a man standing at the foot of the bed. He had blonde hair with streaks of white, a shadow of a beard on his face, and his eyes holding a lot of sadness and regret that Kai recognized all too well. The man smiled gently at her, though he did not dare move closer. "How are you feeling?" Kai said nothing, choosing to remain silent. She didn't know this man and what his intentions were, and as far as she was concerned she was in enemy territory. "Can you speak?" When Kai didn't answer he merely sighed in disappointment. "I suppose I'll just have to send for the Warden-Commander and let him know you're awake." With that, the man left, closing the door behind him and an audible click was heard, clueing Kai that she was locked inside the room.

Kai glanced around the room she was in, noting that it was the same room that she had previously woken up in and escaped from that night. Seeing it in daylight, it looked bare with only the essential. Her armor had been removed again and this time she didn't see it anywhere in the room, along with her bag and daggers. At the very least she can take comfort in knowing that nobody but her can open the bag. She let out a heavy breath, raising one knee up to lean forward on, running her fingers through her hair. She was thirsty and hungry and her migraine was back with a vengeance. That was when she remembered her injury and discovered that her elbow was fixed.

Too weak to even bother attempting to get out of bed; Kai merely flopped back down onto her side. Her stomach was tight with hunger and her mouth dry like the Hissing Waste. If only she had her food pills and hydration capsules. Ugh! Her head felt like it was going to split in two.

She looked to the window, seeing daylight streaming through the glass. Daylight. Kai had never seen the sun before. Well, except for when she was living in the Presidium Ring, looking out at the earth and the billions of stars. She walked over to the window slowly and when she was standing right in front of it she reached up and touched the glass. It was icy to the touch, the heat from her hand fogged up where she touched. Seeing a latch she unhooked it and pushed on the frame, having seeing it be done in old movies her mother loved so much, and she had always wanted to do as the actors in the past had done when at the window. When it swung open she was greeted by a frigid wind that brought up bumps on her arms, but despite the cold she was enthralled by the view. Her eyes went wide as they took in the majestic blue mountains blanketed in snow, the thick forest below gently climbing up the mountain and slowly peppering out the higher they climbed. But what her attention the most was the sky…it was so blue…so open with just a few wisps of white clouds.

In her time, because of the radiation and pollution the sky was constantly hidden away by a thick, rusty red haze. She climbed up onto the window sill, gripping the edges of the window frame, wanting to see just how far the blue sky stretched when she was suddenly grabbed by the waist from behind and yanked back inside. Kai had gasped in surprise and immediately grabbed at the arms that were around her to pry them away when she heard a deep male voice speak loudly in her ear. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?! Are you just that stupid?"

Carver released his hold on Kai and took a step back. When he walked into the room with Marie and saw Kai leaning so dangerously far out the window his heart nearly stopped and on impulse he rushed forward and yanked her away from the window.

"Warden-Captain, how valiant of you." Marie teased as she went to close the window. "Kai, this is Warden-Captain Carver. He is the reason you're here." Marie said, "He also worried about you the most the entire time during our journey back."

Carver felt his cheeks heat up slightly and cleared his throat. "I uh…I'm relieved to see you have awoken."

"Thanks?" Kai replied, unsure about this odd situation. Then something in her mind clicked. "Wait, Warden? As in _the_ Grey Wardens?"

"Yes, you seem rather surprised." Marie said, "But of course it's not as surprising to know that you share the same name as our Warden-Captain. Hawke." Carver rolled his eyes at the mage.

Kai cocked her head to the side, the wheels in her head spinning. This is far too much like a coincidence. Or luck. Or simple lazy writing to get a story to move along faster. "H-Hawke?"

"Serah Marie, if you would give us the room to talk." Carver said. Marie didn't argue as she just smiled down at Kai before leaving the room, closing the door softly behind her. Carver let out a heavy sigh as he moved to sit down on the edge of the bed, taking a moment to collect himself. "I just have to know, are you really a Hawke?"

"Odd question to start off with." Kai said, crossing her arms. "But yeah, At least that's what's written on my legal paperwork."

"Paperwork?"

Kai uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips. "You make it sound like that's unusual."

Carver snorted, shaking his head while trying to suppress a smile. "You're just like her. Blunt and to the point with a hint of sarcasm."

"I'm like who?"

"My sister."

Kai sat down next to Carver, though she made sure that there was space between them. Her heart began to quicken as she considered the crazy, burning question on her mind. "Is…is her name Marian?"

Carver looked at her, his throat suddenly feeling a little tight. She looked just like his older sister when she was young. "Yes…what is your given name?"

"Kailah."

Carver let out a slow breath as he moved to stand, pacing the room as he tried to collect his thoughts. This was too much of a coincidence and also too much to hope for. Did the Maker and Andraste answer his prayers? Is this girl really his long lost niece? But how can he be sure? How can he know that she truly is the Kailah that was lost to his family? The birthmark—of course! He stopped pacing and turned to face Kai.

"Your arm, may I see it?" he asked.

"Uh…yeah, because that's not a weird request." Kai said though she raised the sleeves of her shirt with ease, making her notice just how oddly thin her arms were. Weird, she had always been on the lean side her entire life (proper nutrition in the future was limited), but she was certain that she wasn't _this_ thin.

Carver took her right arm, gently turning it to see her birthmark that was in the shape of a hawk taking flight. Kai watched him curiously, seeing his eyes widen and his jaw go slack. He turned his gaze to her, his blue eyes welling up with tears.

" _Kailah!"_ he breathed before pulling her up into a bone crushing hug. "Maker…it really is you."

Kai was speechless, not knowing how to react. She didn't know what to make of the situation, nor did she know how to identify this strange feeling of familiarity.

"Are you…?"

Carver quickly wiped his eyes and then pulled back to looked down at her. "I'm your uncle."

Kai felt her heart flutter with elation. "My…uncle?"

"Yes. Your uncle." Carver sat Kai back down and he sat down next to her. "Tell me, what have you been for thirteen years? Who took you? And how did you get away? How did you end up coming out of the Fade?"

Kai blinked and shook her head. Did she hear him wrong? "Wait…be kind, rewind—thirteen years? What year is it?"

"09:48 Dragon." Carver said, "Why? What's the matter?"

"I don't know why, but…something about that makes me…uneasy." Kai said, standing up running her hands through her hair. Something was definitely off. Why would he say only thirteen years have passed? Why isn't he questioning her age? She wasn't a child, she's a grown ass woman nearing thirty! It was then that Kai caught her reflection in the mirror and she froze in horror. "No…friggin… _way!"_

"What's the matter?"

Kai went up to the mirror, touching her face, her hair, and looking at her reflection from head to knees (the mirror wasn't full length). Now it made sense why she was shorter than Marie, why her limbs looked thinner than she remembered, why her breasts have all but vanished—she had physically regressed to her thirteen-year old self. And that was…

A horrified scream ripped out from her throat, loud and shrill until all the air had been expelled from her lungs. She hunched forward, bracing her hands against the glass.

"Kailah? Are you…are you all right?" Carver asked hesitantly. Her scream had surprised him and he didn't know what was upsetting her.

"This is wrong…how the hell did this happen? This was not part of the plan…"

"Plan?"

Kai slowly stood upright, casting one last fleeting glance at her reflection before turning to face Carver. She stared at him with a considerate look before making her choice. "Slag it, I'm too drained to come up with a lie." she said as she walked back to the bed and dropped down onto the mattress with a huff.

"Kailah?"

"I was taken to the future, abducted by an agent of Trinity for their sick experiment called the Malapa Project." Kai began. She then explained her upbringing, her life in the Academy, her training as a soldier. She told him about her years as a Spectre agent and then about being framed by Trinity and how she escaped to the past to destroy their outposts. She told him the rift she came out from was the wormhole of a time stream she had been traveling through, she just couldn't explain her current appearance of looking like a child.

Carver tried to absorb everything Kai had told him, wishing he could brush it off as a fantastical tale that can rival Varric's.

"So you travelled through time so you can go after these Trinity people and also hope to see your parents?" Carver asked.

Kai just nodded her head. "Not in so few words but yeah." Kai didn't know why but she suddenly felt…relieved to tell Carver the truth.

"You've been through a lot, I can tell." he said, reaching up and tucking a lock of her black hair behind a pierced ear, his fingers touching the silver rings briefly before lowering his hand back to his knee. "When you're well enough, the Warden-Commander will want to speak with you, but I'll be there at your side so you won't have to worry."

Kai was going to say something else but her stomach growled, doing the talking for her. She felt her face grow hot as she looked up at him with wide, embarrassed eyes, but Carver just laughed and shook his head.

"If you're anything like a Hawke, then broth and bread is clearly not enough." he said, grinning at her before standing up. "Come with me, let's see if there's anything to eat in the kitchen."

Kai looked around the floor and spotted her boots right next to the bed stand. Pulling them on quickly she followed Carver out of the bedroom and got her first good look of the corridor she was in. She couldn't tell where she was just yet as they walked until reaching the first set of stone stairs going down. The third floor, which meant she was on the same floor as where the school's infirmary will eventually be. So then the library was the next floor up. Kai tried to mentally map their current route but her stomach clenched and rumbled with hunger and she could do little else but think about filling the black hole in her gut. She hoped whatever was in the kitchen was as good as what she had before.

Carver lead the way down the flight of stairs and Kai followed, using the railing for balance as her knees proved to be too unstable and she was afraid of them buckling while climbing down the steps. Fuck! There were a lot of stairs! She had never climbed up or down actual stairs since all the stairs at school had been converted to escalators. Oh man, she was gonna build some serious glutes and calves if she's gonna be climbing these things every day.

Reaching the first landing, Kai felt accomplished for not having fallen once so far but that small victory was quickly squashed when she remembered where the kitchen was. B1…the floor underneath level one. Shit! Already Kai was feeling a little out of breath and that was just from going _down_ the fucking stairs! She held in a groan, resenting the cold stones already. Halfway down the second flight Kai's fear came true and her knees gave out and if she wasn't holding onto the railing she probably would have tumbled down the rest of the way, breaking every bone in her body—or just die of embarrassment. That was when Carver insisted on carrying her the rest of the way on his back.

"Sorry, I should have been more considerate and remembered that you're still recovering." Carver said while he descended the rest of the stairs with Kai on his back.

"It's okay; I'm not very good at thinking about my own well being." Kai said softly, feeling strangely comforted pressed up against Carver's broad back. It was strong and warm.

"Another trait of a true Hawke, or more accurately like my sister. More concerned of others than herself." she could hear the smile in his voice. Once in the kitchen, Carver set her down and helped her onto a stool at the wooden island counter. Kai looked around, the baskets of fruit and bread, the barrels and sacks stacked up against the walls. The fireplace was lit with a giant cauldron simmering in it, a wonderful, savory smell coming from it. The kitchen was full of pots and pans, stirring spoons, knives and cutting boards, wash basins and scrubbing brushes. All things Kai had never seen in real life, in fact this is probably the only _real_ kitchen she has ever seen.

Carver set a bowl of stew in front of her with a spoon already sticking in it. He sat across from her with a bowl of his own and broke off a piece of bread from a baguette and handed it to her before breaking off another piece for himself.

"Tuck in," he said before picking up a spoonful of stew and blowing on it gently before putting it in his mouth. Kai picked up her spoon, scooping up a chunk of browned meat soaked in gravy broth. She put it in her mouth and immediately began to wave her hands in front of her mouth, the meat scalding hot as she sucked in air to cool it down while she chewed before finally swallowing. Carver chuckled in amusement. "It'd be safer if you blew on it first."

Kai scooped up another spoonful, this time blowing on it as Carver suggested before eating it. It was still hot but at least it didn't scald her mouth as much. Even with her tongue burned, she could still taste the savory flavor of salt and pepper with the mild sweetness of the vegetables. And the tenderness of the meat…it was just all so mind blowing. Then adding the bread— **AMAZING!** Another delicious meal of what she hoped would be many.

So far she was liking the past more and more with each bite.

"I've never had meals like these back home." Kai confessed.

"Really? You don't have beef stew in the future?" Carver asked.

Kai shook her head, "I…fresh food is practically nonexistent, clean water is incredibly expensive and more valuable than diamonds. Meat, fruit, bread, everything is artificial and synthesized because the earth is practically dead."

"That sounds terrible."

Kai shook her head. "Worse."

"Worse? What's worse than terrible?"

Kai looked up at Carver and hesitated, ready to tell him but then backed out again at the last second. She already told him too much and it was dangerous to tamper with the past. "It's hard to explain."

"How so?"

Kai bit the inside of her cheek, wondering how she was going to approach this and avoid it at the same time. She was never good at lying or making up stories, that was Flynn's expertise, and normally telling the truth usually got her off the hook. The truth…she already had one foot in the grave as is by opening her mouth in the first place. "In the future Thedas is nothing but a toxic wasteland and the last of civilization lives within giant domes to sustain life. Food and water are scarce and people get by on artificial substances called food pills. Trees, animals, apples…none of those things exist anymore."

Carver reminded himself to keep an open mind, already getting this involved with the girl, already convinced that she is family and he was willing to hear her out. Right now, he knew in his heart that Kai was telling the truth, the fear in her eyes proved that. He nodded his head, showing her that he was still listening. "No wonder you're all skin and bones."

She let out nervous laugh. "I'm gonna have to start from the beginning." she pushed her empty bowl towards Carver. "Can I have another helping?"

Three bowls of stew, an entire loaf of bread, and half an apple later, Kai came to the end of her story. "…And thanks to that blighted cadaver I got separated from my team inside the wormhole and the next part you probably know. I think that brings us to now." she said, taking another bite of her apple, savoring the crisp, sweet, juicy fruit.

Carver rubbed his temples, her story was so unbelievable but also incredibly horrifying. It was a lot to take in. He couldn't help but feel some internal brotherly instinct rise up inside him when hearing all of what Kai had to endure, the loss of her family. On top of that, to be separated from her friends, Kai was alone and out of her element. "I'm sorry for what you went through. So…will you tell me what you trying to do last night?"

"What did it look like other than me trying to leave? I had no idea what you Wardens had planned and I have an agenda myself."

Carver snorted, "Just like your mother, always so blunt. You're lucky it wasn't the Warden-Commander you had knocked over last night."

"I'm guessing he's not the forgiving type?"

"No, in fact, when I reported to him after our arrival he wanted to wake you up immediately and interrogate you, make sure you weren't an abomination."

"He might not be too far off considering what Trinity did to me." Kai said off hand.

"So it's wars between cities that destroy Thedas, not the Blight." Carver said, questioning what his purpose was if Grey Wardens were useless.

"Pretty fucked up, right?" Kai said, "I've read about Grey Wardens in history books, about what your purposes were during the Blights. Never thought I'd ever meet one, let alone be related to one… _distantly_."

"I'm guessing the Grey Wardens are one of those things that no longer exist in your future?"

"Sadly the Grey Wardens disappear completely, I think in the thirteenth century? But ever since the discovery of the Blight vaccine in the sixteenth century the need for Grey Wardens was unneces—shit! Sorry."

"Andraste's flaming arse, the future is not only horrific but depressing." Carver said, "So your future has made a cure for the Blight."

"I guess you could call it that. With the state of the world as it is—will be—the vaccine is just standard routine to get when you're a kid. There hasn't been a Blight epidemic since the vaccine was discovered. Well—let me rephrase that, there hasn't been a true Blight since before the first Nuclear War. To be honest, with what little I've seen I prefer the past. You've got good food for one thing."

"Kailah, you don't have to convince yourself to be brave. I know you're scared, and I know you're feeling alone and I…I don't know what else you could be feeling. But I'm here. I'll do what I can for you because we're—we're family."

"Thanks, that's…actually really comforting."

xxxxx

Carver walked out onto the ramparts looking out at the mountains. After spending the afternoon with Kai, hearing about the future and what will become of the Grey Wardens made him doubt his duties to their cause. Ellis, one of the elven Wardens, had come to inform him that the Warden-Commander wanted an audience with him right away, giving him no choice but to leave Kai with Ellis as he left to speak to his Commander. It had been a grueling four hours, the Warden-Commander had ordered that Kai be further interrogated, still convinced that she was a threat for another Blight. Carver had to fight hard to change his mind on torturing answers out of Kai, telling the Commander that as hard as it was to believe, Kai was his niece.

Honestly he didn't know how to explain it but he got so angry and jumped to Kai's defense when he knew so little about her. He only knew what she was willing to share and so far what he did know felt enough for him to justify his defense. Carver even threatened his Commander that he would leave the Wardens and take Kai with him to protect her from them. Even after all these years, he still allowed his feelings to cloud his judgment. The only thing that helped shift the argument in his favor was thanks to Marie who also took a stance to defend Kai, calling out on the Commander that he was being paranoid over a child. Carver could only thank the Maker that the Commander let the matter drop for now, saying that she will be under strict surveillance until further notice. Of course Carver couldn't breathe easy quite yet as he was then informed that he was to return to the Deep Roads before the mountain pass was closed off by snow.

Cursing under his breath, Carver couldn't help but think about Kai and what will happen to her if he wasn't around. Leaving her behind in Weisshaupt while he was in the Deep Roads only made him think of the worst scenario, and he wouldn't dare bring her along with him into the Deep Roads for fear of her getting killed. He had just found Kai and learned that she was his missing niece, his family, and family was more important to him than the Wardens. As a soldier he knew that it was his duty to follow the orders of his commanding officer but…the look in her eyes when she admitted that she originally risked time travel just to see her parents once…

"Ser Carver," Marie said softly as she walked up to her fellow Warden and stopped to stand beside him. She put a comforting hand on his back. "All you needed was one afternoon it seems."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"For me I think it was her eyes. So big and blue, yet a little sad like she's seen much more than her age reveals." Marie said, "If she were a mage I would accuse her of blood magic."

Carver pulled Marie into an unused room, closing the door behind him before turning to look at her. "She really is my niece, Marie. I saw the birthmark on her arm. It's the very same mark, in the very same place. I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep her safe."

Marie showed a bit of surprise on her face before a cunning smirk appeared on her lips. "I have to say, threatening the Warden-Commander might not have been the smartest thing."

"I know, I just couldn't help myself."

"I'll look after her, Carver. I promise."

He turned his whole body towards Marie, placing his hands on her hips and giving them a slight squeeze before lowering his head down to her for a kiss. "No, I'll write my sister in Honnleath. Maker knows she'll want to know that her daughter is alive."

"I think that's a good idea."


	6. Chapter 5 - Dusting for Clues

Chapter Five – Dusting for Clues

20:15 Red Age

Heavy boots walked across the bloodied floor, where bodies of undead and rebels laid strewn. The poor excuse of a time machine had exploded a minute after sending the five into the time stream, followed by a few undead. The lab had been turned into a war zone with Trinity soldiers already stripping the room of every useful artifact. A choking cough grabbed his attention and he walked over to the man who clung to life. Cor squatted down over Jameson, examining with his eyes the bloody mess of wounds on the young man. The glare Jameson managed to give was nothing short of amusing to Cor.

"Can you feel it? The taint from those bites you received from the undead?" Cor asked softly, his deep timbre holding no regret of his betrayal to the Rebels. "It's the same modified taint you saw in Redcliff ten years ago. If left unchecked, you'll die and then be reanimated by the taint and come back as the thing that killed you. But there is a cure. It was made after Redcliff. Do you want it? Do you want to live?"

xxxxx

09:48 Dragon Age

Kai was staring out at the beautiful, snowcapped mountains while she ate an apple, biting into the crisp meat of the fruit. The sweet juice coating her tongue as she chewed. She casually walked on the ledge of the battlements, easily keeping her balance, not thinking much about the possible danger of falling. Her mind was elsewhere, mostly on the watching eyes of the other Grey Wardens that had been ordered by their commander to keep tabs on her every movement. Which was fine, since they kept their distance and Kai, for her own amusement, made it clear that she knew she was being watched by allowing herself to get caught in places she wasn't supposed to be in. It was all the more hilarious for her when the Warden-Commander found her sitting in his personal office, having picked all three locks on his door (which raised some suspicion as to why the man needed three locks on his door). Kai couldn't help but feel nostalgia for creating mischief, just like she used to in her Academy days with her friends.

It had already been two weeks and Kai was unsuccessful in finding the Trinity outpost that she was sure was here in the fortress. It had to be. Every night she mapped her way around the lower parts of the fortress, searching for locked doors and secret passages in the basement levels. She tried to rely on memory of the school but kept coming up against blocked passageways that weren't there as far as she remembered. The basements were the easiest routes for the students who were coming back from missions to return to their barracks quickly and quietly without disturbing the other students. It was also where the training gyms were— _will—_ be built.

Kai let out a frustrated growl as she pulled her phone from her pocket and swiped the screen, turning it on. Luckily it was fully charged for the time being, and she was able to pull up the school's blueprint, crossing off areas that either do not exist or are not on the map. She had even found an old blue print of the fortress and compared it with the map she had on her phone. "So much for original structure." she muttered, thinking she will have to go through the blue prints again and figure out where she hadn't look. From what she saw and what was on the blueprint, the entire basement of the fortress had been renovated and changed. "Of course those pretentious dicks would lie about the school's structure."

On top of her frustrations about not being able to find that fucking outpost she was going through puberty— _again!_

Out of all the weird shit she's been through this topped it all! Not only did she travel through time with no clue if it would work or not but her body aged backwards. _Backwards!_ She was a kid again! From the looks of it she was probably thirteen—again! Back to the awkward stage of her body beginning to change. How the fuck did this happen?! HOW?! Did it have something to do with that weird magic of time travel? Was it the rune tattoos in her skin? Was it both?

Whatever the reason, this totally sucked. Trapped in a child's body. All her tattoos were still present but she couldn't activate them, like they were being suppressed. She wanted so much to just simply scream her little head off but the last thing she needed was to garnish more attention her way.

This just felt so wrong. She already went through puberty, and to go through it again…the thought of it made her shudder. Yet she also had to wonder—the year—it was 09:48 and she was born in 09:35. Could it be that her body had reverted to the age she should actually be for this time? Anything is possible, right? Time magic was unpredictable and she was originally from this era so…maybe? Could fate had played a hand at this and possibly given her a second chance? Was this her chance to actually live to _choose_ her own future? Her own path?

A cold wind blew through her, making her cringe and shiver but she refused to head back inside, wanting to stay in the sun for as long as possible. In the past two weeks, Kai was pretty sure she was past the worst of the detox phase, no longer feeling sick and she was able to breathe easier. She still felt weak; her body fatigued a lot faster. It was pathetic how much time has passed and she allowed herself to get distracted by the beauty and wonder of the world around her. She never thought she would ever see Thedas so beautiful, so pure. She didn't have to wear an O2 mask when outside and actually breathe in _clean_ air and not worry about poisoning. The people who rescued her…it took so little.

Carver Hawke.

Her uncle.

Instantly her priorities were shifting, and with every passing day she found it harder to focus on her mission.

Her mission…

Her second day in Weisshaupt and Kai had secretly set up a beacon in hopes that her team had landed in the same time as her. But that hope was fading with each passing day when she saw that they have not made contact, just white noise. Though it didn't stop her from constantly checking her phone and even her wristband that was synced up with her phone; requiring just a flick of her wrist to pull up the image of her phone screen on her forearm, which came in handy when she had to leave her phone behind. It had surprised and puzzled her at first when she noticed her phone still had full bars; but then remembered what Hattie had said about how satellites possibly had been launched into the atmosphere in secret by other agents. Aside from her personal distractions Kai had yet to fail in getting bored, everyday she discovered something new. So many distractions. Yesterday she discovered the garden and had to look at every plant growing there, even the weeds. The soil the garden grew from was soft and surprisingly warm when she touched it. The smell had a pungent, spicy-sweet aroma.

She had also rediscovered the library her first week, coming in from a new entrance she never knew about. The library had to be the biggest surprise to her since the library she recalled had no physical books, just computers and ports for downloading data. The library she remembered was more like a storage space where all of the old statues and rusting suits of armor were stored carelessly. Seeing how Weisshaupt Fortress was—is—damn! It was getting hard going back and forth. Anyways, it will be a shame for a hall of knowledge to be callously reduced to a cold storage room. Kai was fascinated by the books, the texture, the weight, the feel of the leather bindings and the musty smell of the pages. It still felt as if she were in a dream. Kai had spent an entire day and all night in the library when she first came upon it, getting the idea that she could find clues about the artifact she was looking for and possibly the original blueprints of Weisshaupt. Of course her plan quickly backfired on her when she realized that the older books she was looking through were written in an older text, requiring her to go in search of a thesaurus if she could find one.

No such luck.

Was not yet invented.

All that expensive education in the Academy, and even more expensive military microchips implanted into her brain to know and read every language in Thedas and beyond. All wasted on a dead language her microchiped brain couldn't decode. Of course, to be fair, the microchip was programmed for "current" and "preserved" languages of Thedas. One never knows when Qunlat will be handy in translating ancient dwarven thaigs of the Deep Roads in Orlais (not likely to happen since there was only one lost then rediscovered thaig that had Qunlat writing).

On the plus side she did find the blueprints she needed, be damned the dead language. Who needed words when you have pictures? She had to be discreet when she took it out of the library and into her room. Especially when she was being watched like a hawk all the time.

"Crap, I don't know where else to look." she muttered as she turned the screen off and pocketed her phone. "I wonder if I'm just looking too hard. I need to rethink this." She reached the end of the rampart and turned around to walk back the way she came, jumping down from the wall to the walkway. She finished her apple and threw the core over the ledge and looked up, her eyes scaling up the fortress to the high towers at the top. "Maybe I'm not looking high enough?"

"By the Creators!" came an exasperated voice as Cha'na stood at the base of the stairs that lead up to the rampart. The elf had been ordered by Carver to keep her company while he was with the Warden-Commander again. Obviously talking about her because of the little break-in she did just that morning. That Commander seriously needs a hobby. Cha'na was a kind elf, a little peculiar since he spent most of his time in the library, organizing the records and books. Kai made a game of moving the books around, disorganizing Cha'na's hard work of organization, a small little fun to annoy the elf. Although what Kai was really doing was spying on the elf; having caught a glimpse of something beneath his collar, something familiar from the future.

This wasn't the first time Carver had asked Cha'na to watch over her while he was busy with other things, and wanting to kill some time and annoy the passive Warden, Kai would often play a one-sided game of tag while figuring out how to get a better look under the elf's collar without raising suspicion or using brute force like she normally did. "Ser Carver won't be pleased if he finds out that you keep running off under my watch!"

"Aww, Cha-Cha, you found me! And it only took you an hour this time, good job!" Kai teased, "You're definitely getting faster in finding me."

She saw the elf roll his eyes as he placed his hands on his slim hips. "Yes, yes, joke all you like. Now please come down, you know how Ser Carver doesn't like you playing up on the battlements."

"I won't tell him if you won't." Kai said, finding a little joy in torturing the meek elf like this. She hopped up onto the ledge again, looking down at Cha'na who was giving her a nervous look. With a smile she jumped, flipping mid-fall and then landing on her feet on the ground, her knees bending to ease the shock impact. She held in a slight wince from the sharp pain that shot up her legs, but it was just an indicator that her body had gotten soft from not giving it the proper abuse it was used to. Two weeks of no fighting for her life, plus the days she was totally out of it from radiation detox, not to mention pigging out on all the delicious food—she needed an outlet.

"Please stop doing those dangerous stunts; I don't know how I'll ever explain it to Ser Carver if you got hurt." Cha'na said, putting a hand over his heart, as if in an attempt to keep it from bursting out of his chest.

"You should know by now, Cha-Cha, making you sweat has become a daily task of mine." Kai smirked as she stood up straight, hiding the twinge of pain in her right ankle, thinking that she can just walk it off.

"Stop giving Cha'na a hard time, Kai." Marie said as she came walking out into the courtyard, her staff attached across her back. Kai smiled at the mage, having grown fond of the woman. She healed and cared for Kai when she was sick and out of it, bathed, clothed and fed her like the stray kitten she was. Plus it was obvious that she and Carver were an item, with the way they would look at each other or how they would often stand close to each other. So naturally Kai took it upon herself to think of Marie as an extension of her growing family tree and let her in on the truth that she had revealed to Carver.

"You goin' somewhere?" Kai asked.

"More like coming back from border patrol." Marie said, smiling as she stopped in front of the teenager. She smoothed down the fly-aways of Kai's black hair on her head and then down to her chilled cheek. "You're freezing cold, come back inside. I'll cook us something to eat. You coming, Cha'na?"

The elf frowned, "No, I'll be heading back to the library for now."

"Then I'll be sure to save you some food." Marie said before putting an arm around Kai's shoulders, effectively pulling Kai into her warm side and bringing her inside the fortress. "Carver's not going to like hearing that you gave Cha'na the slip again."

"I can't help it if he makes it so easy." Kai grinned.

"Naughty girl," Marie giggled

"Next time take me with you on border patrol, I want to see more than just inside this fortress." Kai said.

"Sorry, Kai, you know Carver will refuse to let you out." Kai clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Take it up with your uncle yourself if you want to go so badly."

"I did, and then he dumped me off with Cha-Cha."

"It's rather sad how fitting that nickname is." Marie said as she shook her head. "Tell me, what are you hungry for?"

"You know me, I'll eat anything. Except raw onions." Kai said, crinkling her nose at the memory of that unfortunate experience. Trying everything for the first time, figuring out what she liked and didn't like, raw onions being one on her dislike list.

Marie laughed, squeezing Kai's shoulders. "Deal, no raw onions."

xxxxx

Anders approached Carver in the hall, having waited until after Marie and Kai left together after dinner. It still amazed him how much that girl looked like the woman he loved, and equally did it pain him, knowing that Kai was not the product of himself and Marian. It had been a hard truth to swallow, especially when the fantasy of it all was just so irresistible and deep down in his heart he wished it were true. But that damned Carver Hawke had to shatter such a fanciful delusion with hard proof in the form of several letters that Marian had written to her brother. The contents revealing the secret she had literally carried during the final dark years in Kirkwall. She had confessed to her affair with the then Knight-Captain, the date on the letter showed that the affair had begun shortly after his and Marian's relationship had ended...badly.

"Here," Anders said with a dejected tone as he handed the letters back to Carver.

Carver accepted the return of the letters. "Did you read them all?"

"No, I…I could barely get through the second one." he admitted, finding it difficult to meet the younger man's eye.

"Really? Surprising considering how you have a bad habit of sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." Carver said before walking away.

Anders didn't say anything in reply to that comment, knowing he deserved it. Though he lied about not reading the letters. He read them all, word for word, allowing them to rip what was left of his heart to shreds.

xxxxx

 _Dear Carver,_

 _I do hope you have been taking care of yourself, if mother were still alive I'm sure she would be writing pages of reasons as to why you should write home more and be eating well and so on. I know you got Gamlen's letter about mother a few months ago and I don't know how to express how much I regret not saving her in time; and killing her murderer didn't bring me the satisfaction I had thought it would bring. I wish you were here, Carver. I could really use your tactless manner of putting things into perspective._

 _I am doing as well as I can. Varric has been coming by almost daily with new odd jobs for me, I think he's worried I'll become a hermit inside this house. I appreciate what he's been doing, along with our other friends though Anders has been acting a little strange lately. We got into another fight about mage rights and how we need to take more drastic actions to get the world's attention about the plight of all mages. It was a very bad fight, Carver. Justice reared his head and started screaming at me. I kicked him and Anders out of the estate. I haven't spoken to him since._

 _I just want you to know that I'm still alive. I have also started seeing someone new. If you were here you will more than likely tell me what an idiot I am for courting danger. Perhaps in my next letter I will be able to write more about him if things between us are still going well. He said he wants to take things slow, which is strange for me, but right now he makes me happy._

 _Take Care of Yourself,_

 _Marian_

xxxxx

 _Dear Carver,_

 _It's been some months now since the Qunari invasion here in Kirkwall. I can't say that I wasn't relieved to see you that day nor can I deny that I wished you had stayed. I'm just glad to have seen you were still alive and looking well. Remember in my last letter about me seeing someone? Well I suppose it's gotten serious between us this past year. It's so serious that I have recently learned that I am with child and I am terrified. Being an apostate in the public's eye is hard enough to navigate, how am I to go with my duties as "Champion" while hiding my belly as it grows? Did I forget to mention that the Knight-Commander gave me the title of Champion of Kirkwall? The Maker surely has quite the sense of humor, doesn't he? Especially when the father is a Templar. And not just any Templar, but the Knight-Captain himself!_

 _Yes, your sister, an apostate, is in a secret relationship with the Knight-Captain of Kirkwall. I can just imagine mother reprimanding me for being so reckless. Perhaps your next letter to me will be all about my recklessness. Yet, in all honesty, I love him. I love him with all my heart and I already love this child growing inside of me. A part of me is actually hoping for a girl and maybe she will look like Bethany. A boy will be equally as good, maybe he will look like his father? Of course with my luck he might end up looking similar to you. All joking aside, I am looking forward to meeting my baby._

 _But I'm also scared. Nobody but Orana knows about the pregnancy and though I want to tell my friends about this I'm afraid. I'm especially afraid of Anders. He's been acting more distant and is becoming easier to anger these days. I just know he will go off the walls if he found out that the father of my child is a Templar._

 _I probably shouldn't risk writing this letter let alone sending it when I don't know for certain if you will even receive it wherever you are, but I thought you should know at the very least. Know that you will be an uncle come this winter. I do hope you will be able to visit, maybe even see your niece or nephew._

 _I promise I'll be careful._

 _Love,_

 _Marian_

xxxxx

 _Dear Carver,_

 _Thanks for your last letter, made me feel better knowing my brother cares so much. Maker, I hope this letter finds you safely. Aveline found out about the pregnancy and gave me a long lecture about my history of recklessness but didn't ask about who the father is. At least not yet. I think she needed time to get over the shock. Then Varric found out when he came over to the estate unexpectedly, catching Cullen and I having dinner together and of course with my large belly on display. He seemed to have taken the news better than Aveline did because the next day he showed up with a gift basket of toys and blankets! Maker, that dwarf is already spoiling this baby._

 _Don't worry, Aveline and Varric have promised to keep my pregnancy and Cullen, a secret. Hopefully no one else will find out. I especially don't want Anders finding out. Maker knows that the last thing I need is for him and Justice to suddenly be up in arms about the mage movement and how I'm a pawn being used by both Meredith and the nobles of Kirkwall. Not to mention there's no telling how he will react if he ever learns that the father is none other than the Knight-Captain. That alone might be the breaking point for him. I'm worried that Anders is forever lost to that thing inside him. He once lost control in the smugglers' mines a few weeks ago and killed a poor girl the Templars had cornered. It frightened me. I'm just grateful that Varric and Fenris were there. No, Fenris has no idea about the pregnancy, yet, but I think he suspects something._

 _I don't even want to imagine what would happen if Anders learned about Cullen and I._

 _So far our other companions have had the mind to not ask too many personal questions as to why I have been more absent. Aveline and Varric have been doing their part in covering for me. I have only been making an appearance when necessary, though with this belly not even my mage robes can hide it. Aveline has been checking on me every day and Varric has been going through my mail, making sure to toss out any requests that are not worth the time or can be handled by the guards._

 _Cullen has been treating me well, getting out of the Gallows whenever he can to be with me. He sings to our baby with his cheek to my belly. He's as eager as I am to meet him or her. We've talked about leaving Kirkwall together; go some place where nobody knows us, where we can raise our child together. In fact, we are making plans of leaving Kirkwall after I give birth. In my current condition I can barely get up from a chair without a little help and my ankles and feet swell up like soggy loaves of bread when I'm standing for more than a few hours._

 _I hope you come visit soon._

 _Love,_

 _Marian_

xxxxx

Anders had been so blind. He should have seen the signs at the time. The wariness when around him. The looser robes. The odd cravings and how she tired easily. Her constant absence and reluctance to run head first into a fight. How she gently rebuffed his offers of healing whenever she was wounded. The strange way both the Guard-Captain and the dwarf were ready with an excuse as to why Marian would not be joining them or why she was unavailable.

Then the memory of that day he had killed that young girl. Having lost control over Justice. How Varric stood in front of Marian when he regained control from Justice, their weapons held ready to attack. The fearful look on her face… How Marian had confronted him afterwards and when he almost lost his temper, the way Marian had taken a step back and her hand extended out in a defensive manner…

The signs had all been there but he had been too tangled up in his own messy web to have noticed something that should have been obvious.

"Between you and Meredith, my sister feared you the most." Carver said, pulling Anders from his pitying thoughts as he looked up at the younger man who took a seat at the table in the mess hall across from him. "She said if Meredith had found out about the baby she wouldn't be able to do anything but stomp her foot and spout on about mages outside the circle. Against Meredith she at least was able to use her title and connections with the nobles to keep the Templars from storming her estate unannounced. But you…you were an unpredictable wild card."

"I would never—" Anders began but stopped, knowing that even if he wouldn't have done Marian harm he couldn't say the same for Justice…more precisely, Vengeance. "What happened? Did Marian send her child away somewhere after giving birth?"

Carver's thin lips pressed together tightly, recalling the details of the upsetting letter his sister had written him just a day after his departure from Kirkwall.

xxxxx

 _Carver,_

 _Kailah was abducted. Spirited away just a day after your departure. Cullen and I cannot explain it but what we saw, the kidnapper vanished through some kind of rift, taking our daughter. I'm beside myself and I know Cullen is as well but he's putting on a brave face for me. We're both heartbroken. I know you can't do anything but please, keep a look out for strange rifts and for my Kailah._

 _I want my baby but I don't know where to start in getting her back._

 _Your Sister,_

 _Marian_

xxxxx

Carver shook his head. "No. Kailah had been kidnapped right from under all of our noses just a few days after she had been born. The kidnapper vanished from the same exact rift Kailah came through."

Anders stared down at his hands, his chest tight with guilt and regret. "Are you certain she's your niece?"

"She has the same birthmark as my sister. Among other things." Carver said.

"You mean aside the fact that she looks exactly like Marian?"

"She is my family, and I have to look out for her in place of my sister. Which means you will keep your distance from her."

xxxxx

Kai turned another page of the book she was reading, _Tales of the Champion._ It wasn't just fascinating, it was captivating and fantastical. Carver had given her his copy, saying that it would give her some insight about her parents, mainly her mother of whom the book was written about. In truth, Kai had read the book before but it was a digital book and a lot of it had been changed but the core of the story remained the same. There were even a few chapters she had never knew existed, such as the tale about the missing wife of some Orlesian man and that all that was found of her was some finger bones and a gold ring. Or the brief return to the Deep Roads in search of a missing Warden named Nathaniel or what had become of the Bone Pit.

Kai read the entire book in a day, even bringing it with her to meal times and ignoring everybody as she ate and read at the same time. Carver clearly didn't seem to mind and Marie encouraged her interest in reading. It was an easy read, long, but easy. In truth Kai was glad that the book was written for entertainment value rather than for historical accuracy. She's read enough of those books back in the Academy and man were they dryer than the Western Approach. The book was so entertaining that Kai was re-reading it in the library by the crackling fire with a blanket covering her legs and her back leaning against several pillows on the sofa.

Marie wasn't far, browsing through the shelves. Marie had mentioned how she wanted to study some of the runes on Kai's skin, or at least the runes she can barely make out. Kai had to admit that she never gave her tattoos much thought because they were practically invisible against her skin, giving Mimi credit for a great job (though she'll never give the mage the pleasure of inflating her already huge ego).

"I see you've found entertainment in that book." Kai looked from the pages and saw the mage who had been in her room after her first escape attempt, approaching her with a nervous smile. "Are you enjoying it?"

"You're that mage…um…"

"You can call me Anders." he said, "May I sit here?" he asked, gesturing to the empty space on the sofa. Kai nodded her head and sat up straighter as Anders took a seat.

"It helps pass the time." Kai said, closing the book and looking at the cover. "Though it's different knowing that the main character is someone real and alive versus made up or dead."

Anders chuckled, "Your mother most certainly was a formidable woman in Kirkwall. She was also humble and compassionate. We often would stay up late into the night having long conversations about the injustice towards mages everywhere." A startled look crossed Kai's face and Anders obviously saw it. "Your resemblance to her made it very obvious. Plus Ser Carver had made it very clear to the First-Warden and Warden-Commander that you are his long lost niece."

"I'm guessing he had to do a lot of convincing to prove that?" Kai asked, having not heard how Carver managed to do that.

"He said he had been present after your birth and confirmed a birthmark on your arm. From there they could only take it at face value." Anders said.

"Hmm, I suppose with limited evidence that's all they can do at this point. It's a shame DNA testing won't be invented for another nine hundred years." Kai said, mostly to herself. If Anders looked confused, he managed to hide it well. "So…how did you know my mother?"

Anders smiled, a distant look in his eyes. "She came to my clinic in Darktown, in need of a map to the Deep Roads. From there, well…you've obviously been reading the book. When I knew her, she was a clever and resourceful young woman. Open-minded to new ideas. I could go on about how wonderful your mother was, but most of all she believed in doing the right thing. I had never met anyone like her."

"In the book it mentioned you and my mother had a relationship before ultimately having a falling out."

The smile on Anders' face dropped slightly as a melancholy settled in. "Yes. In the end we grew apart. I blame myself for it, but it was for the best. Especially after what I did."

"Terrorism usually ends a lot of relationships." Kai said, though she inwardly cringed at her poor joke. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

"Don't worry. Our relationship had ended long before that happened. Looking back now, all the signs of it being over happened before the Qunari problem came to a head."

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

Anders looked into the flames in the fireplace, quiet for a minute before replying. "I think I will always have feelings for her." They sat in silence for awhile. "I admit I had hoped that you were perhaps my daughter, giving me hope for a second chance with Marian…" he sighed heavily, remembering the letters Carver had shown him and felt regret slipping into his heart. "I'm just glad she found someone to open her heart to. And I know that she will be overjoyed to see you again."

"Hey, Anders…just so you know…it does get better for mages." Kai said, looking at him. "They will know what real freedom is like. The future guarantees that."

Anders stared at her blankly for a second, taking in what she said before smiling a true smile. "Your youth and optimism brings me some comfort in those words."

Kai opened her mouth to reassure him but was cut off by Carver cutting into their conversation.

"Kai, don't speak to this man." Carver said, pulling Kai up onto her feet and behind him so as to be a physical wall between her and Anders. "You cannot trust this man not to manipulate yet another rebellion and cause another war to break out."

Anders bit back an angry retort, knowing that he would just be on another receiving end of slander and verbal abuse. He could feel Justice stirring inside him and he took in a slow breath to remain calm.

"Carver, stop it." Marie said, "Anders wouldn't harm Kai."

"Just like he didn't harm my sister by lying and manipulating her in Kirkwall? Making her take part in the destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry that slaughtered hundreds of people?" Carver asked, his tone bitter as he glared hatefully at Anders.

"That's right, I destroyed Kirkwall's Chantry because things needed to change and that change wouldn't have happened if nothing extreme was done." Anders said, standing up from the couch.

"Your extreme method killed hundreds of innocent people!" Carver yelled.

This was ridiculous. The tension between Carver and Anders was, in Kai's opinion, unnecessary and out of place. Not to mention a waste of energy. "Shut up." Kai said in a firm tone as she moved out from behind Carver. The adults looked at her, as if forgetting that she were there. "If you're gonna have a pissing contest by all means, continue, but not in here. This is a library."

Marie put her hands on Kai's shoulders, "Come, my sweet, it's getting late." she said to Kai, beginning to steer her away from the two men but Kai shrugged Marie's hand off of her and looked at her uncle and Anders.

"I'm gonna draw up a little theory here, stop me if you've heard something similar before; whatever is going on between you two has nothing to do with what you think it's actually about." Kai began, turning on her uncle. "You're so stuck on the fact that out of your two siblings, you're the only one without magic, despite being a twin. So you grew overcompensating that fact by becoming a warrior, all in hopes that you will stand out in a better light against your mage siblings and father. Over time this complex turned into a competition in your head and thus leaving the impression of hostility towards any mage you feel as a threat to your ego and bully them with harsh words to make yourself feel relevant. And you;" Kai turned to Anders.

"You think the whole world is out to get you all because you were born different and never given a chance to prove your merit. Yet when given the opportunity you only follow that path for a short time before thinking ; 'hey, why not?' and then twist your path—with good intentions but poor planning—realizing too late that it will hurt people in all sorts of manner. Then you run away from your mess, never really apologizing or seeking forgiveness, going on and playing the martyr until that well has long since dried up and then you're left with no escape plan. Just continuing to exist and blame others for your problems without taking any responsibility." Kai looked at both men expectantly, seeing both their mouths agape with nothing to say in their defense because they knew she hit the nail on the head.

Marie was speechless, though she felt that what Kai "theorized" was true. Both men had more than just a chip on their shoulders and it had nothing to do with each other. The female Warden was impressed that this girl could see with such clarity, forgetting that Kai was actually much older than she currently appeared.

Kai then dropped the book purposefully, letting the thick tome hit the stone floor with a loud thump, snapping the man back to alertness. "Now, I'm just a _kid_ and all, so by all means dismiss me like adults tend to do." She turned and walked away, leaving the three adults in her wake as she left the library.

xxxxx

That night, like all the other nights for the past two weeks, Kai waited in her new room until she was sure nearly everyone was asleep. She had been moved to an upper floor where the other Wardens' quarters resided. Her room was next door to Carver's, his excuse being that it was available when in truth Kai knew it was because he wanted to keep her close by "just in case." The guy was pretty obvious, painfully obvious. But she couldn't blame him, he was family. Her family. Realistically her only family at the moment. There may not be proof of their relations and going off on a gut feeling also didn't quite cut it, but she could at least rely on Carver to believe.

It's a shame that the technology for DNA tracking wasn't going to be available until the 18th Age.

She took out the activated beacon that she had hidden under the mattress, the small black device still flashing, showing the red light was still on, meaning no contact yet. With quiet disappointment she shoved the beacon back under her mattress and sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling on her boots and locking the clasps. She grabbed the knives off her nightstand and slid them securely in her boots before grabbing her utility belt and securely snapping the buckle around her hips. She stared down at her arms, able to see the faint tracings of her tattoos. Earlier she had tested the magic within them only for it to backfire painfully on her, sending a white hot pain throughout her body, like she had been struck by lightning. She pulled on her gloves, hiding them before slipping her gauntlets on and securing them in place as best she could. Out of habit she checked the compartments of the belt, (having gotten them back from the Warden-Commander's office after breaking in) making sure everything she needed was still there before pulling on the double arm slings and placing her daggers on her back. She thought about taking a pair of handguns but then thought against it. She walked quietly over to her mirror, pulling her hair up and tying it into a high ponytail.

Looking at her reflection Kai couldn't deny the comfort it gave her to look like her old self (even though she looked nothing like her old self). That life may be behind her but the habit will always be engrained in her body. She wasn't going back to the future, she knew that much, but she could at least secure the future and make sure Trinity's power never takes root in the past. She just needed to find that damn outpost!

Making a few final adjustments with her uniform she went to the window of her room and opened it, feeling the chilled night air letting itself in. Hopping up onto the ledge, Kai let out a steady breath. "Okay." She opened a hidden control panel in her left gauntlet, flipping it open and pressed a button, activating the grips in her gloves for strength support while the toes of her boots had wall scaling spikes at the ready. Closing the lid of her suit's control panel, she reached over to the side of the wall, her fingers gripping the cracks in the wall while she kicked her toe spikes into the soft spots and balanced her weight before she began to make her slow ascension.

"Andraste's steaming hot farts, I need to start cutting back on thirds, maybe even seconds...and deserts. Maybe not on the deserts…why does food from the past have to taste so damn good?" she said through clenched teeth as she pulled herself up on the wall. Scaling the fortress proved to be a lot more challenging and Kai wished she had reconsidered her options, showing yet again that she never really thought through her plans. "This is what happens when you let your imagination get the better of you, Kai. You just had to think that the fastest way is climbing up the side, avoid the blighted stairs, don't think about the risk of falling to your death. _Maker_ am I an idiot!"

An hour of climbing and Kai finally reached the veranda of an upper level. She pulled herself up and fell over the railing, landing like dead weight on her side as she took her time to let her screaming muscles recover a little before sitting up. She wiped the sweat from her face with the back of her gloved hand and looked ahead to see where she was. Standing up on numb legs, Kai forced herself to shake it off as she walked forward, looking left and right and thanked the Maker when she saw the familiar archways that lead to the tower stairway. She kept up her stealth as she quietly crossed the hall and began the long climb up the spiraling staircase. If she hadn't scaled the walls climbing the stairs wouldn't have been so challenging for her already tired muscles.

Not even halfway up she was leaning against the wall and then crawling up the steps. She was out of breath before finally needing to stop, lying back against the steps, not caring that the corners of the steps were pinching into her back and shoulders. She looked up, unable to see the top and wondering how much further she had to go before she would finally decide to give up and simply let herself fall the rest of the way down like a sack of flour. Needing more stamina, Kai reached into one of the compartments on her belt, having to lift her hips slightly to reach the pocket where she kept some of her soldier pills. Popping the little pellet into her mouth she swallowed it whole and waited for it to work. Like always, the soldier pills took seconds before she felt her energy return and renewed strength rushing through her body, giving her the pep she needed to keep going.

Finally reaching the top of the stairs Kai looked around the tower. It was dusty and too dark to see with just her eyes. Grabbing her flashlight she clicked the button and shined the light around. There were crates, barrels and chests, broken furniture and old disused weapons. Kai began her search, going through everything but found nothing that rang out to her as Trinity.

"Fuck!" she cursed while she kicked a crate with all her might, causing the wood to splinter but not break completely. Just another thing to remind her that she was still not at full strength. Running her gloved fingers over her face Kai had to come to terms that there just might not be an outpost in Weisshaupt in this era. "Give me a fuckin' break already!"

"I believe I can offer you that." Came a voice, startling Kai as she spun around quickly facing the stairs. Shining her flashlight in that direction she was surprised to find Cha'na standing at the top of the stairs.

"Wha—Cha-Cha?" Kai sputtered in confusion.

"I am Agent Cha'na Catauni, of the 45th Division of the Intelligence Department for Trinity. Former Lead Investigator of the Alliance Federation Department of Security." Cha-na said. Kai's jaw dropped, not expecting this turn of event. "I knew who you were the moment I saw your emblem on your uniform. Believe me when I say that I was quite surprised to see a Spectre agent here of all places—and a child no less."

Kai snapped her mouth shut and shook her head. "Wait, does that mean this fortress is an outpost after all?"

"Yes, the second largest, in fact. The largest outpost is in Orlais." Cha-na said, keeping a level head while Kai seemed to be losing hers. "I do apologize for not speaking up sooner but you were in poor health when you first arrived and your recovery required all of your focus. I had intended to speak with you earlier today had Ser Marie not intervened with her untimely return."

Kai needed a moment to absorb all that was said to her, knowing fully well that Cha'na didn't say much but the revelation that he was an agent from the future was enough to make her reel back. Her mouth suddenly felt very dry.

"Are there other agents here?" she finally asked.

"Yes," he replied simply.

"When is the soonest you can assemble them? I believe a friendly meet and greet is in order." Kai said, trying to make a joke in light of the situation. She didn't know if Cha-na was still loyal to Trinity or not and she needed to suss out the other agents, get a feel for where their loyalties lie.

As if reading her thoughts Cha'na smiled at her. "I will be frank with you, Agent, there has not been contact from Trinity directly in nearly two years. All of us who are in this fortress have been…anxious, since you have awoken."

Kai sort of got what Cha'na was getting at but she couldn't be too sure, knowing she had to be careful while treading atop the unspoken topic. Yet again, as a reminder of her impatience nagging at her, Kai didn't have much finesse in head games when feeling agitated. She much rather just be direct and take her chances. "I am no longer a Spectre serving the Citadel Council. I learned the truth about my origins and found others like myself, displaced from their true timelines and defected to the Rebellion. Now I'm a fugitive, running from Trinity. Any loyalties I had to Trinity is long gone."

A tense silence fell between them and Kai was already mentally planning out how to kill Cha-na should things go south. Her free hand twitching, ready to reach over her shoulder for one of her daggers. Then it all came crumbling down the moment she saw Cha-na's shoulders sag and relief wash over his youthful face.

"I must say I am quite relieved to hear that." he said, showing her a less guarded smile. "I understand it will take some time for us to build trust but believe me when I say that none of us here hold any lingering loyalty to Trinity."

Kai relaxed her stance a bit though she kept her flashlight on him. "And why is that?"

"Like I said, it's been two years since we received a transmission and even then it was of nothing. Trinity has all but abandoned us in this era."

"It will take more than just time for us to build a trust, Cha-Cha. I'm gonna need proof to go with what you say." Kai said, turning off her flashlight and tucking it into her belt.

"Spoken like a true Spectre." Cha'na smirked, "So I'm assuming this late night escapade was to look for the outpost?"

"You caught me." Kai said, taking a step towards the stairs when from the corner of her eye she saw a strange flash of light. She stopped and turned around, rushing to the window to look down. Cha'na quickly joined her. Their eyes both widening at what they were seeing.

A wormhole.

Down in the courtyard—a wormhole! And clearly sheand Cha'na were not the only ones who saw it too, as she could hear the distant yells and the warning horns blaring in the night, warning of intruders as she believed she saw...the _monsters._ Her nightmares of the infected undead returning. Wardens in the keep began to come running out from within, their weapons at hand and engaging in the midnight battle.

xxxxx

Carver had an arm draped over Marie's waist as they slept in bed together until the sound of the warning horns woke them. Carver immediately jumped out of bed and threw on his chainmail over his night clothes before grabbing his broad-sword and rushing out of his room to next door to find Kai. When he threw her door open he was greeted by an empty room…and an open window. He cursed loudly.

"What's going on?!" Marie asked, still wearing her nightgown but had thrown on her robes over them and was carrying her staff in one hand. Her brown hair was tussled from the rude awakening as she pushed past Carver and peered into Kai's room, gasping loudly before turning back to him. "Where is she?!"

"Hopefully somewhere safe." Carver said, knowing they had no time to look for Kai as their fellow comrades were all racing to the courtyard to fight off their attackers.

xxxxx

"Are those…?" Cha'na began, unsure of what he was seeing.

"Mutated blight virus. Looks like Trinity continued that evil project." Kai said as she turned back to run down the stairs but knew it was going to take too long before she would even reach the bottom of the tower; and even then she would have to run down several floors before reaching the courtyard.

"One more stupid thing to add to my growing list."

"What are you doing?" Cha'na asked, stopping at the stairs when he saw Kai turning back towards the window. A shocked gasp escaped the elf when he watched Kai dove out the window.

Kai angled her body into a perfect dive, the wind howling in her ears and the rush of cold air tearing up her eyes as she gained more speed before pulling her body into an upward position as she continued to fall. She reached over her shoulder, grabbing one of her daggers and threw it ahead of her. The dagger twirled yards ahead of her, the carved spells glowing red before the blade imbedded into the skull of a undead and in a flash of light Kai was on the undead, her hand gripping the handle as she yanked hard and back-flipped away, landing cat-like on her feet. White hot pain shot through her entire body from using the teleportation trick.

She expected pain but wasn't prepared for the paralyzing agony that surged through her. But she had to push past the pain. She had to! Jaw clenched tight and blinking through the blur of tears in her eyes Kai pushed herself onto her feet. She looked ahead of her, the wormhole still open as more undead came running out in hordes. More Trinity experiments gone wrong. Kai didn't understand why there was an open wormhole in the courtyard with infected monsters streaming out.

Then there was the question of why here? How would Trinity know to send them here in this specific place and time?

Kai grabbed her other dagger from her back (shit! Her fingers were numb) and twirled around, bringing the blades upwards as she cut into a blight infected soldier that fell at her feet. Their screeching and red eyes giving her flashbacks of those hellish hours in Redcliff. It sent a chill down her spine. The darkness, the stench of death, the sound of flesh being ripped and bones being crunched…her mind returning to _that_ place.

"Kai!"

Jameson?

She turned around, seeing Carver swing down his two-handed sword, cutting a undead in two as he sliced his way to her. Kai saw an undead running up behind Carver and she quickly reached for the knife in her boot and threw it, hitting it between the eyes. A wall of ice was erected behind Kai, freezing a row of undead as Marie came running up and both she and Carver acted as shields as they fended off the horde. Kai looked around, seeing the Wardens fighting valiantly and taking down the undead until she saw something come out of the wormhole that made her blood run cold.

A giant of a beast came marching out; its head was covered in a bloody hood with giant nails bolted around its thick neck. Its form was menacing as it swung around its giant ax-hammer, swiping at both undead and Wardens. Not discriminating between ally and foe, it just simply cleared a path, killing everything in its way. She watched Carver's back as he ran towards the beast with his two-handed sword at the ready. Kai couldn't let the Reaper kill Carver.

She wasn't going to have a repeat of Redcliff. This time she wasn't going to let it get the upper hand on her as she threw her daggers at the giant of a monster, the engraved spells on the dual blades glowing red as they stuck into the Reaper's chest. Agony be damned! In a flash, Kai was on the Reaper, pulling her daggers out and stabbing them into its neck and skull. The Reaper let out a guttural moan as it reached up and grabbed Kai with its massive hand, throwing her aside. Kai hit the ground, her body bouncing once—twice and then rolling before sliding to a stop. Her entire body seized in pain, the magic in her tattoos burning with an indescribable agony.

Blinded by pain she didn't see the Reaper had locked in on her as it held up its ax-hammer and began to charge at her. Kai heard someone shouting her name before a flash of lightning struck the Reaper, stopping it in its tracks. Kai felt someone kneeling beside her, grabbing her by the shoulders and sitting her up. Blinking through the fog of pain a face came into focus hovering over her. Blonde hair…dark eyes…sharp nose…stubble. Anders.

"Can you stand?" Anders asked.

"Y-yeah." Kai croaked, allowing Anders to help her to her feet. Shaking off the remnants of the painful tingle Kai quickly turned to see Carver as he swung his sword and cut off the Reaper's head clean off its shoulders.

"They're still coming through!" a Warden yelled.

"Kailah!" Carver called, turning to look back at her.

Kai reached into the front pocket of her belt, dropping three grenade pellets into her hand as she ran towards the wormhole and threw them into the gapping maw. "Fire in the hole!" she yelled as she back-peddled away. Carver had grabbed her, hugging her to his body as he shielded her from the blast, the force from the blowback threw them both as the wormhole had imploded from the grenade and the last of the undead had been slain.

The impact onto the flagstones sent a sharp pain through Carver's left shoulder and arm where he landed on it, but the pain was the least of his concern. "Kailah! Kailah are you hurt anywhere?" he asked, sitting up on his knees and lifting Kai's upper half. Dazed, Kai let out a soft groan of pain.

"Remind me to not do that again." she said.

"You nearly got yourself killed! What were you thinking?" Carver exclaimed.

"Carver! Kailah! Are you both all right?" Marie asked as she rushed to them and dropped her staff as she fell to her knees and grabbed Kai's face, looking her over. Upon first glance Marie saw nor sensed any injuries that required immediate attention and let out a breath of relief as she began to heal the cut on Kai's forehead.

"I'm fine," Kai said, removing Marie's hands from her face. "Seriously, I'm okay."

"Those darkspawn…they're from your time, aren't they?" she asked softly, looking Kai in the eye. Kai averted her eyes.

"Ser Carver." called a commanding deep voice, getting the elder Hawke's attention as an intimidating man with graying beard and a claw-mark scar marred across his aged face stalked over to them. Carver stood up immediately, as did Marie who helped Kai up to her feet. Carver consciously shifted to stand in front of Kai as a kind of barrier between her and the approaching man. His fierce gaze looked past Carver at Kai, sending a cold rush through her when their eyes met. "You, _girl,_ I'm assuming these things were brought here by you?"

Kai bristled at the allegation coming from the Warden-Commander. "What?! No, I had nothing to do with this!"

"Warden-Commander, please! Whatever you are accusing, Kai had nothing to do with this!" Carver said.

"We know nothing of her origin. For all we know she could have summoned those monsters!"

"That's so not fair!" Kai said sharply, pushing past Carver who moved to keep her back. "I did not open that wormhole to let those infected undead through!"

"Kailah, that's enough!" Carver warned over his shoulder.

"Obviously it's not since this jerk is set on making me out to be the cause behind this attack!" Kai said, glaring up at the Warden-Commander. "Get your solid evidence before you go throwing accusations around!"

The Warden-Commander pointedly looked out at the scattered bodies around them before looking back at Kai. "Then who is responsible?" the Warden-Commander asked, raising a questioning brow at her.

"Obviously not me!" Kai said, still heated from the accusation of being the one behind the undead attack. "I don't have the tech or the magic to open a wormhole to slip through time. I don't even know how they knew to open one here of all places."

"Magic, you say? Slipping through time? Are you implying that someone is capable of using time traveling magic?" the Warden-Commander asked, setting his steely gaze on Kai.

"That is enough." came a new voice. All attention turned to a man approaching them from within the fortress. He was tall with a regal gait, his clothing were of fine velvet and thick cotton. His hair was neatly combed and his face was cleanly shaven. Not to mention _very_ familiar.

"First-Warden." Carver said, his back straightening up.

Kai noticed that Cha'na was standing just slightly behind the First-Warden, his eyes focused back on her with a slight smile. The elf gave a hint of a nod to Kai, silently telling her that the situation was going to be taken under control.

"First-Warden, do you see?" the Commander began, "These corpses obviously carry the blight. This girl knows more than she is willing to tell us!"

Kai's temper flared and Carver seemed to sense it as he looked over his shoulder at her sharply with a silent warning in his eyes to keep her mouth shut.

"Let us take this conversation indoors. The war room will suffice. Ser Carver, I will be borrowing your niece for a short while."

"Wh-what?" Carver sputtered.

Kai looked up at the First-Warden, unable to shake the feeling that she had met him before. Did she fight alongside someone that looked like him? Maybe killed on a mission? That seemed more plausible.

"You have my word that your niece will be returned unharmed." said the First-Warden as he turned to look at Marie. "I expect the bodies to be burned to prevent the spread of disease." That was when Kai noticed a distinct scar on the man's right jaw and snapped her fingers as realization dawned on her.

"Well, isn't this a stellar reunion." Kai said before she could stop herself. The First-Warden turned his head to look at her, along with the Commander, Carver and Marie; while Cha'na smirked in quiet amusement. "I had heard of your reassignment after the Blitz War in 20:10, I just didn't realize that _this_ was it. And to think, you were some whiny foot soldier freshly plucked from the slums." Kai placed a hand on her hip as she grinned up at the First-Warden. "Good to know you did well for yourself despite the circumstances but _damn_ you did not age well."

Carver was about to ask what had suddenly gotten into his niece when the First-Warden burst out in a rich laugh, throwing his head back and all before stepping closer to Kai and clapping a hand down on her small shoulder.

"I'm ever so flattered that the Phantom remembers me." he said, beaming as he pulled his hand back and motioned for Kai to walk beside him to return inside the fortress. "We have a lot of catching up to do, Kai. Tell me, you still friends with that playwright?"

Carver blinked, at a loss for words as e stared after the retreating backs of his superior and niece. "What…just happened?"


	7. Chapter 6 -A Short Reunion and a Journey

Chapter Six – A Short Reunion and then a Journey

20:12 Red Age

Starkhaven

A young new recruit to the army sat secure in his seat within the air carrier. His stomach twisted up in knots as he twitched with nervous energy. Only having just turned eighteen and having grown up in complete poverty in the slums of Denerim, he joined the army the second he turned eighteen. Unfortunately for him he had joined the army during the start of a war. Then with just a meager few weeks of training he was assigned to a small squadron, given a gun he had no real training with, and thrown head first into the heart of the warzone.

Glancing out the window from the cockpit he could see they were approaching the city of Starkhaven. Which meant they were minutes away from the drop-off point. Beside him sat the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had inky black hair that was pulled up in a slick ponytail, exposing her ears that had multiple piercings from lobe to the helix of each ear, including the tragus. She had a shapely mouth of pink lips that made the young soldier lick his own dry, cracked lips. Yet what made him pause, made his heart skip and flutter, made the knots in his stomach tighten up—were her striking, electric blue eyes.

She was so beautiful that he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Not even when she looked directly back at him, allowing him to see into the depths for a brief moment, revealing to him her years of experience. He blinked his dark brown eyes and she had unbuckled her seatbelt, rising to her feet to stand in the short aisle of the carrier. That's when he saw the badge on her upper right bicep, the distinct sign of Trinity's insignia of the triquetra made of silverite.

Spectre.

"Listen up! We are now entering enemy territory! Our orders are clear—infiltrate the city and set up a perimeter of explosives. Make sure each explosive is at least five miles from each other. Our goal is to take down the dome for the rest of the troops to charge in. It is our job to make sure that everything goes without a hitch in the plan. Now…any questions?"

"Are we the only team setting up the explosives?" the young soldier asked. He held his breath when her striking eyes landed on him, as if peeling away his layers with her eyes down to his very core, trembling with fear.

"No, Teams 2 and 3 will be handling the other quadrants of Starkhaven's boarder. It's our job to coordinate with them before setting off the explosives." she answered; looking ahead into the cockpit to see that time was up and briskly walked to the back of the carrier. She ran her hands over the straps of her flight suit, making sure they were secure. "All right, men! Let's take down that wall!"

Everyone cheered, hyped up for the mission except for the young soldier as his stomach of knots just dropped.

Would he survive?

Now realizing the beautiful woman was his squad leader, the young soldier wondered as he watched this fierce, beautiful woman activate her helmet before she punched the button on the wall to open the latch. Wind rushed up into the haul of the carrier craft as she made sure everyone dove out within calculated seconds of each other. When it was his turn, he hesitated. Scared beyond words as this was his first time jumping from a plane. His leader slapped his shoulder and gave him a nod before shoving him out of the carrier. He felt icy fear flood his entire body, his mind panicking as he thought he would fall to his death.

"Calm down, rookie." came a gravelly voice from one of the other soldiers. "Take a deep breath and straighten out your body." He did as he was told, trying to relax his breath and straightened out his body and was diving through the polluted air. In seconds he caught up to his team who were in formation as he swiftly moved into position with the others.

"All right Team," came their leader's voice through their com-links. "Deploy wings in 3…2…1…go!" Like a chain reaction they each spread their arms and legs, their suits providing more body surface to slow their decent. This was part of the missions made the young soldier like he was part of an action movie, the rush of icy wind could be felt through his suit. "Approaching target. Deploy chutes in 3…2…1…go!"

He pulled on the ripcord and felt his body jerk back as his parachute deployed. All around him his teammates deployed their chutes and together they descended at an even pace towards the ground. All of them, except for their team leader who continued to free-fall dangerously close to the ground.

"Captain? You didn't deploy your chute." the young soldier said, his panic returning but for his leader.

"Good eye." came her rather sarcastic reply.

"Pfft! Just watch rookie." came the gruff voice from before.

With bated breath he watched at their team leader throw something and then flashed out of sight and yards further ahead. Three more times she flashed in and out of sight before landing safely on the ground before the rest of the team. In his ear piece he could hear the collective crackle of everyone trying to talk over one another in excited chatter. The young soldier was speechless.

"Now I really wanna become a Spectre!" he heard one soldier say through the crackle as the team safely landed and unlatched their chutes.

Their leader waved for them to huddle in and counted heads before switching channels on her com-link. "Teams 2 and 3, are you in position?"

After a minute of silence she heard the static of a channel opening followed by a voice. "Team 3 in position."

"Team 2 is in position."

"Begin phase 2 of the mission." She ordered, receiving a collective response. She turned to her team. "Remember, each explosive needs to be five miles apart from each other as we set up the perimeter. Split off in groups of two and spread out. Keep your com-links open to all channels. I updated your digital maps of each location where you'll set up the explosives, once done we will meet up at the rendezvous point that has been marked with a blue dot. Are we clear on your instructions?"

"Ser! Yes, Ser!"

They entered through a sewer outlet, sneaking into the city and navigating through the tunnels beneath the city. Sneaking up on the city without being seen or suspected. As planned, the explosives were placed within five miles of each other. It was tiring, wading through knee high waste and killing giant rats, but the job was done just two hours after landing and followed their leader to the rendezvous place. There they met the other two teams and the three leaders synced up their remote timers and within a minute they were the explosives go off and felt the tremors of them shaking the city to its very foundation.

"Good job teams. Phase two has been completed." Kai said, "Let's head back to the drop off site."

"Are we not joining the battle?" one soldier asked.

"Your orders were clear. Set up the explosives and take down the wall, nothing about the orders said anything about fighting up top." Leader 1 said, turning to walk towards a ladder that went topside, followed by the second and the third team leader.

"Wait, is that a yes or…?"

Leader 1 twisted herself around halfway up the ladder to look at the group of black uniforms and helmets. "You're free to interpret what that means." she said, the smirk prevalent in her tone as she twisted back around and climbed up through the manhole.

Looking back at the others the young soldier followed their leaders, climbing up the ladder, through the manhole, and into the chaotic streets of Starkhaven. When he looked he already lost track of his team leaders who had obviously disappeared into the chaos.

The young soldier had one of two choices: run or fight.

After taking down his first enemy soldier in the battle his confidence went soaring as he took down more. His inexperience and fear of death forgotten as he marched into the fray with his guns blazing. And in that exuberance of confidence and zeal he was careless to see a grenade pellet had been thrown his way, catching his right arm and covering the limb in toxic acid that quickly ate through his armor and into his flesh.

He screamed in pain, dropping his gun as he fell. Crying up into the sky as he felt the acid eat away through his skin and muscles. This was it. This was how he was going to die.

In his fit of pain he nearly missed his fellow comrades-in-arms lift him up and carry him out of firing range.

"He needs a medic immediately."

"Yeah, no kiddin'. A medi-gel won't do anything for this."

"Soldier! Can you tell me your name?"

Fredrick blinked through the tears, not registering that his helmet had been removed and was staring up into a blurry face.

"Fr-Fredrick!" he managed to utter.

"All right, Fredrick. My name is Hawke. Brace yourself." the blurry face said with a woman's voice. Was it his Squad Leader? Before he could wander down that distracting thought he heard a disturbing swish of a blade cutting through _something._ Then it registered in a second and an ear splitting scream ripped out from his throat.

xxxxx

09:48 Dragon

The First-Warden rubbed at his shoulder, the memory causing him a bit of a phantom pain but he didn't show it on his face. He never resented Hawke's actions that day. She had saved his life and he learned a valuable lesson about war. He owed her a great debt. And that debt, he had decided while recovering in the hospital, would be his unyielding loyalty to her; and only her.

Eighteen years old, survived his first taste of battle, lost a limb, and was smitten with his superior officer. Typical of a stupid, young, impressionable boy. Though he kept his vow and when Trinity had offered him an assignment, he eagerly jumped aboard before thinking, all in hopes of being closer to his new hero. What he would give to go back in time and rethink his life choices.

Fredrick turned to look at his hero, who was currently getting attended to by Anders for her wounds caused by her recent hard training to regain her strength and agility in the secret gym beneath the fortress. Despite her appearance of looking like a child again, the First-Warden could still see the Spectre he admired. He managed to hold in a snicker as Kai seemed uninterested in what Cha'na was talking about while the elf maintained to look irritated while he motored on talking.

The word relief didn't quite suit what Kai was currently feeling, but it was the closest to describe her emotional state as she stood in the war room with the First-Warden and Cha'na. What brought the former Spectre further comfort was in the knowledge that every single agent within the formidable fortress that had been sent by Trinity were no loyalists to the bloodthirsty corporation. It came as no surprise to learn that the agents who were sent to the past had a history of rebelling against Trinity or were simply "defective" soldiers; and had been sent to the past as a means to remain "useful" the corporation. Kai was sure in the very beginning Trinity had plans of making use of sending agents to the past to solidify their hold in Thedas' history, but somewhere down the road Trinity must have lost interest or just used time travel technology as an excuse to get rid of those who were deemed useless.

Yet it didn't quite explain why Cha'na and the First had been sent back. From what Cha'na had revealed to her before the attack, he had quite the accomplished career in the military's Intelligence Department. And the First, whom Kai recalled his name was Fredrick McDougall, had been a wet-nosed foot soldier who had joined Trinity's military program to escape poverty. Fredrick had the misfortune of signing on right as a war between Fereldon and the Free Marches broke out. Kai had been in her early twenties at the time of the Blitz War, and had gained a reputation among the Spectres as a cocky hot-head who got the job done. It was that reputation that landed her the assignment of leading a squadron over enemy lines and Fredrick had been assigned to her.

"Maker's breath! You have bruises on top of bruises!" Anders said with exasperation as he healed Kai's latest injuries. Fredrick chuckled as he watched and listen. He had recruited Anders, knowing the mage needed a distraction from the everyday mundane and took pity on him since none of the other wardens spoke to him. Fredrick had seen no harm in letting Anders in on the truth and noticed that involving the mage gave the other man an air of calm for being given a purpose once more. Even if it's to be Kai's personal healer every day. Plus Kai didn't have a problem with Anders, showing genuine interest in their conversations and seeing a light return in the mage's eyes that had previously been snuffed out.

Carver Hawke, however, had been hard to convince to allow Anders anywhere near his niece without supervision; though after Fredrick spoke to him and incessantly prodded by Marie, he eventually eased up a bit, though he insisted on being Kai's chaperone. Any assignments of going into the Deep Roads had been postponed indefinitely so he could stay with his niece while plans were being made for him to travel back to Fereldon with Kai in the coming weeks.

"Didn't I just heal this one yesterday?" Anders continued, "Andraste preserve me, if you keep this up there will be nothing left of you but pulp."

"You shouldn't push yourself if it's going to further injure you, Kailah." Carver chimed in, standing over the two on the floor. "You'll be doing more harm than good if you don't slow down."

Kai rolled her eyes. "Just so you know I don't exactly need a healer. My body heals abnormally fast thanks to all the crap Trinity did to me as a kid."

"I had heard rumors about Redcliff." Cha'na said while he was going through the files of Kai's thumb drive on his portable holo-sphere. "You were there right before the so-called nuclear meltdown incident." It wasn't a question of whether she was there, it was a statement.

She breathed in through her nose and slowly breathed out. The topic of "what happened in Redcliff" was still a source of her nightmares, and a subject she continued to keep to herself. She never spoke of what happened in the underground compound, not even to the appointed psychiatrist she was ordered to see during her recovery. She even kept a closed lip about what happened to her friends, though her friends knew better to pry, especially after the incident when they visited her in the hospital. Her violent outburst against her friends had given her a one-way ticket into the psych ward of the hospital where she remained for the rest of her recovery, barring all visitations.

"Yeah, I was there." she said dismissively.

Cha'na paused in what he was doing, looking past the holographic screen to her with a raised brow before letting the matter drop. For now.

"I can't say I'm surprised that Trinity used you and your friends as a scapegoat." Fredrick said, obviously giddy to see his former squad leader; despite their mysterious age reversal difference. "It gave me chills when I saw you use your special trick, flashing in and out of sight the way you did! It was how I was able to confirm that it was really you!"

"Yeah, won't be doing that again anytime soon." Kai said, remembering the incapacitating pain. "Hey, Cha-Cha, maybe you can tell me why I'm a kid again and not an adult before the time travel?"

"Hmm," Cha'na hummed in thought. Kai, Anders, Carver and Fredrick were all looking at the elf expectantly. "Well, from what you disclosed and from what I briefly read in your file you more than likely reverted to the age you should be had you not been abducted."

Kai clicked her tongue, "That easy, huh?"

"It's what I've got so far. Plus the math matches to date. You were born in 35 Dragon, it is now 48 Dragon, subtract the two numbers and you get thirteen. I will need time for myself and the others to sort through these files you brought. There's quite a lot." Cha'na said.

Kai pressed her lips together, unable to refute his simple guesstimation.

"We can also upgrade your phone, download current maps of this era if you'd like." Frederick said.

"Sure, not like I have use for it right now." Kai said, "Maybe you can get someone to fix my busted helmet, too?"

"Of course!" Fredrick said.

Carver and Anders glanced at each other, both having never seen their First so animated and eager. He had always been so regal, a beacon of strength and leadership. The man they were seeing now acted like an eager recruit in front of Kai.

"It's clear that your current status is nowhere near where it should be." Cha'na said, "I'll have to adjust your training regimen."

"Since you brought up the subject, why won't my enhancements work?" Kai asked.

"You will have to be more specific, Hawke. Which enhancements?" Cha'na asked.

Kai rolled up her sleeves and held up her arms to show Cha'na. She concentrated on the hidden tattoos, getting them to faintly glow before going out, sending a prickling sensation up her arms and stinging the ends of her fingers.

"Maker's blood! Don't tell me you have lyrium burned into your skin, too!" Anders exclaimed, startled by the glowing tattoos.

"There might have been lyrium mixed in with the ink, but I kinda doubt it since lyrium in the future is rare and just a microgram of it is insanely expensive." Kai said.

"Is that how you're able to teleport?" Fredrick asked.

"It was." Kai said as she then explained how it caused her unimaginable pain when she tried to use it during the attack and the few times after waking up when she attempted to conjure a knife.

It was then that Cha'na said he would need time to look into a possible solution but had given her the notion that it could just be her body was currently too weak and rebuilding her stamina and strength was the key. Then left.

"By the way, First-Warden," Anders began, looking to his leader. "How is it exactly you know Kailah?"

"Hmm? Oh, I suppose I never told you." Fredrick said, looking down at Kai and grinned. "She was my commanding officer in the future and during an invasion into Starkhaven during the Blitz War I got hit by an acid grenade that destroyed my right arm. Kai cut my arm off, saving my life before the acid could do further damage to the rest of my sorry arse." Fredrick said, looking at the two men with gaping mouths and wide eyes. He grinned at them. "For me that was almost thirty years years ago and I was just eighteen at the time and Kai had already carved herself a reputation within the Federation and Trinity armies. Keep in mind that she was much older than me when I first met her, nearly ten years older versus today."

Kai just nodded her head in agreement.

"Forgive my ignorance but you said she _cut off_ your arm?" Anders asked.

"Like butter." Kai said a little too proudly. Carver couldn't help but smirk a little.

Fredrick lifted his right arm and wiggled his fingers. "Technology in the future is quite impressive. Built me a new arm and everything before sending me here."

Almost immediately Anders had grabbed his arm and pushed the sleeve up to examine it, absolutely fascinated at how real the prosthetic looked and feel.

"Wow, despite Trinity being out for total domination, their bioengineering department sure knows how to make a damn convincing prosthetic." Kai said, admiring Fredrick's biotic right arm from where she remained sitting on the floor. She remembered Fredrick having foolishly losing his arm after being hit with an acid grenade, not realizing how in over his head he was. In order to save his life Kai had cut off the already dying appendage.

"Was in the hospital for a month." Fredrick confirmed, flexing his arm and showing off its realism. "Shortly after my release I was placed into one of Trinity's rehabilitation facilities where I learned the true horror of what they had intended for me."

Kai didn't need him to explain further as she held up a hand to stop him. "I've seen the extent of Trinity's experiments and the ramifications of them going unchecked." She then stood up and rolled her left shoulder experimentally. "Well, back to training for me."

xxxxx

Kai awoke, startled out of her sleep from yet another nightmare. Her skin sticky with cold sweat and her heart racing in her chest. She let out a long sigh as she rolled onto her back, laying an arm over her eyes as she slowly regained her breath and her heart calmed down to a steady rhythm. Since the unexpected attack her nightmares returned with a vengeance, this time the faces of the dead were of the Grey Wardens in Weisshaupt. Kai was no psychologist but even she could interpret that the changing faces in her nightmares was a subconscious message of what she feared: a repeat of Redcliff, but with the people she had come to know.

Moving her arm she glance to the window, seeing that it was still dark outside. She decided to get up anyways, knowing she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. She had too much energy pent up inside her thanks to the nightmare and after getting dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt she threw on a thick jacket lined with soft animal fur for extra warmth. In the dark Kai made her way down to the secret gym, seeing the occasional sentinel on watch who paid her no mind as she passed.

Once inside the spacious gym Kai walked to the other end where the boxing bags were. Taking off her jacket and dropping it against the wall she tied back her hair into a high ponytail before she began to beat on the punching bag with her bare fists. She allowed her mind to go blank as she simply punched and kicked the heavy bag, ignoring the sting in her knuckles and shins. Her body went into autopilot, letting her zone out. It was therapeutic for her in a way, beating up an inanimate object and feeling the pain going numb from the repeated contact.

She didn't pay attention to how much time she spent in the gym having migrated from the punching bag to doing floor work to doing pull-ups. All she knew was by the time Carver found her, she had already sweated through her clothes and had made a full circuit with all the equipment. After cleaning up and changing into a fresh set of clothes Kai joined her uncle for breakfast in the mess hall.

Carver had set a plate full of food in front of Kai, having piled sausage links, poached eggs, toast, and a cup of fruit. Kai buttered her toast but found she had no appetite, even though she should have after the workout she had that morning. The nightmare clearly having upset her enough to ruin her mood for the day. She opted to just finishing her slice of toast and nibble on a bit of egg and mostly pushing her food around her plate to give off the poor illusion of eating. She was having trouble pushing away the new details of her nightmare.

A cool hand came to rest against her forehead, startling Kai out of her reverie as she saw Marie looking at her with an almost motherly concern.

"You're a little warm, are you all right?" the mage asked, getting Carver's attention.

"Is she sick?" he asked, alarming concern in his voice, looking at Kai as if looking for physical signs of illness.

Kai brushed away Marie's hand from her face and stood up from the table. "I'm fine, seriously." she said, forcing a smile on her face before excusing herself and leaving the mess hall. She needed to be alone…and a nap.

xxxxx

Carver watched from the sidelines as Kai trained, flipping and tumbling across the vaulted floors of the secret gym in Weisshaupt. As impressive as her agility and acrobatics were, Carver didn't see the practicality of it for battle, all he knew was that it was just one of many methods to help Kai regain her strength and stamina. It had only been a week since learning of the secret group and the start of Kai's "true" rehabilitation and still Carver was struggling to fully grasp of everything he's been told. In truth, Carver wished Kai would simply take it easy and rest in the safety of her room but he couldn't deny the fact that his niece was thriving even when being pushed to her physical limits.

"You're popping your clutch!" Kai's trainer warned as Kai did a series of back-flips across the floor before missing her final landing and tumbling off balance. "You need to relax your shoulders, Kai. You're hitting it too hard."

Carver watched as his niece pushed herself back up onto her feet and started over again, amused by her stubbornness that was a family trademark.

"You're popping the clutch, you're gonna miss the landing." her trainer said and as predicted Kai tumbled and toppled off the mats with an audible squeak and a smack. "You're putting too much thought into it as you go."

"Oww…mat burn…" Kai hissed as she picked herself back up with a sour look that she shot at the trainer.

Carver just shook his head. His niece was sure to have a new set of bruises all over her body of which Marie won't be too pleased about, he was certain. He remembered just a week ago when he first learned about all of this and shook his head again.

xxxxx

(Flashback)

Carver's jaw dropped when he entered a spacious room that was brightly lit and saw his niece, spinning like a wheel around a horizontal bar, propelling herself from one bar to another like a circus acrobat. He was impressed by her skill but also pissed off that she had made him worry sick over her. And like usual, his temper won.

"Kailah!" he shouted as Kai was mid-turn on the high-bar and missed catching herself, belly-flopping onto the padded mats below with a loud slap. Carver winced and heard Chan'na click his tongue in annoyance like he always did. "S-sorry!"

Kai groaned, slowly peeling herself off the blue mat to sit up onto her knees. She took in slow breaths, thinking her lungs and diaphragm must be bruised from being constantly winded from all her hard falls. She looked over to the entrance into the gym and couldn't help but give her uncle a glowering look for breaking her concentration.

"Andraste's flaming tits! You've been here _all_ morning?!" Carver asked, feeling his temper heating up again as he marched up to the teenager. "Have you any idea how worried I've been?"

"Sorry, uncle." Kai replied, standing up. She rolled her shoulders back, trying to work out the tightness in them. "I guess I got caught up down here, I didn't realize how much time passed."

Carver let out a sigh, now feeling rather foolish for getting upset but he had to keep up the appearance of a strict guardian. Kai had already proven that she was equally as stubborn as her mother, always going off and doing things without permission, and she needed to be looked after. Maker, was he just as bad at her age? "Well, had I known earlier where you were—"

"Not likely." Chan'na interjected, stepping up to them as he lightly walked across the mats. "This room is but one of many secret rooms within Weisshaupt. As former operatives of Trinity there is a great deal of subterfuge required for our organization to operate in plain sight."

"Well you're not doing a good job of it now." Carver said, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at Chan'na.

"Uncle, he means that there are former agents of Trinity within the Grey Wardens and all over Thedas." Kai said, "Kinda like the Ben-Hassreth, there are agents everywhere."

"That's…how are you able to infiltrate the Grey Wardens? You have to go through the Joining." Carver argued.

"Don't worry, we've been inoculated." Chan'na said, not bothering to look at Carver's expression as he chose to focus on his manicure. "It's standard procedure after 16:55 Discovery. Darkspawn taint that has been filtered through a matrix to become a commercial commodity for everyone. What makes you special now will be common place in the future."

Carver's face fell slightly at that, feeling himself deflate a little.

Kai jabbed Chan'na in the ribs, making the elf bend over his side, gripping it in mild pain. "Don't be such an asshole." she said, "We can't sense Darkspawn like the Grey Wardens, we're just immune to the taint."

xxxxx

(Present)

Immune to the taint. That's what she said. So lucky. So fortunate to have lived in a life where the taint would not kill her prematurely.

He thought about earlier that morning when Kai had looked upset about something and figured she had worked hard enough for one day and needed a well deserved break.

"Kailah," he called, making the girl stop and look back at him. He smiled. "Take a break."

xxxxx

Kai's blue eyes widened as a grin split across her face at the sight of the Griffon nest and all the newly hatched baby griffons. Carver brought her up to the nursery, figuring this would cheer her up. He was happy to see that he was right to bring her up there, just seeing the joy light up her face was enough to reassure him. Kai only had to take a few steps forward before she was surrounded by the baby griffons; carefully lowering down to her knees to their level. The babies all clambered over each other for her attention, climbing onto her front and back, surrounding her on all sides while under the watchful stares of the parents.

Carver carefully walked over to one of the mothers, scratching her neck and receiving a grateful coo. He watched Kai with a smile on his lips, feeling a warmth spreading in his chest as Kai was then buried under the playful babies and a laugh escaped him. A few of the Wardens charged with looking after the griffons also laughed at the teenager's expense as Kai surfaced with three of the hatchlings in her arms.

"This is such a cuteness overload!" she practically squealed, beaming up at Carver. His breath hitched, not only seeing his older sister Marian but his twin sister Bethany all in that single, broad smile.

This had been a good idea.

xxxxx

Later that afternoon Kai was sitting in the war room in the presence of the First-Warden, Cha'na, Carver, and four other ex-Trinity soldiers of whom Kai had met several times already. Kai's mood had improved greatly after visiting the nursery and snuggling with the baby griffons. She was currently sitting on the table that had a map of Thedas on top (of which Carver disapproved of her choice of seating, but could do nothing about because Fredrick allowed without hesitation). A 3D map of Thedas was projected on a holographic screen for everyone to see, Cha'na mapping out the safest route for Carver and Kai to travel when they make their journey south to Ferelden.

Kai was partially paying attention, scrolling through her own screen, going through the list of all the known agents that had been sent to this time. She was rather surprised to recognize quite a number of names since they were the names of former soldiers she had been assigned to track down by the Citadel for war crimes. One of the names that stuck out was a former partner and Spectre agent that she had thought she killed during the Blitz War. He apparently had been stationed in the Par Vallon outpost. Fitting, considering he had been a hulking piece of qunari if she remembered correctly.

The only question was how he survived a bullet to the heart.

And why would Trinity send war criminals to the past? Did they strike a deal with them? Serve their evil purpose and in return their slates will be cleaned? She wouldn't put it past Trinity; after all, they used her and her friends as scapegoats for a terrorist attack they weren't even involved in.

What worried her though was the ex-Spectre: Axel. He had turned a handful of Spectres—good Spectres—to follow him during the Blitz War, on top of a few dozen soldiers from both sides of the war. He had been incredibly dangerous because he was incredibly smart. He almost turned Kai to join him and he had been damn convincing, too. It also didn't help that they had been lovers at the time, too.

Thinking about how broken hearted she was after didn't help matters, but it didn't stop her from tapping on his name and pulling up his file. His picture was on the top left corner and she tapped on it to enlarge. She felt her heart squeeze a little at the sight of his photo, his face the same as she remembered. Pale grey skin, dark eyes with flecks of gold and red, strong square jaw and a prominent nose that was distinct to his kind. His masculine and well-shaped lips were set in a neutral state. And his horns…curved back elegantly atop his head. She remembered holding onto them when they—she stopped that train of thought before it took off from the station.

"Who's this?" Kai started at the sound of Carver's voice beside her as he peeked at her screen.

Kai subtly cleared her throat. "A former Spectre I once knew." she said, keeping her tone even.

"He kinda reminds me of the Arishok from Kirkwall." Carver said.

"Oh, believe me when I say he was not of the Qun." Kai said.

"Ah, yes, Axel." Cha'na said, having also come over to look. "He was the best agent of the Spectres until he went rogue and turned other members of the same agency along with militia groups from the opposing sides. He was quite charismatic from what I recall."

"I'm not surprised you met him," Kai said, leaning back on her hands. "He had an annoying habit of making acquaintances with the right people. Should've set off some alarms but it's as Cha-Cha says, the man was very charismatic. Could've charmed a venomous snake to defang itself." Kai then shut off her screen. "But he was a traitor and was brought to justice. End of story."

"Brought to justice by _your_ hand, if I recall the reports." Cha'na said off-handedly, making Kai clench her jaw tightly and her shoulders stiffen. The elf eyed Kai, quietly daring her to do something. It was obvious to her that Cha'na had read her entire file and thus knew about her past relationship with Axel.

"Really? A Spectre taking down another Spectre." Fredrick said, "Sounds like a rehash of every spy movie in history."

"What's a movie?" Carver asked.

xxxxx

Once plans have been made and a route decided everyone cleared out from the war room while Kai hung back and looked to Cha'na who was putting things away at his leisure. She approached the elf, stopping beside him.

"Yes?" Cha'na asked without looking at her.

"Just because you've read my complete file don't think you can use that information to manipulate me." Kai said, reigning in her simmering anger.

"Merely flexing my boundaries." he said, turning to look at her.

A muscle in Kai's jaw ticked in irritation, smelling a challenge heating up.

"As a trained Spectre, you of all people know how valuable and _powerful_ information is. I apologize if I said something to upset you and I'm assuming it had to do about Axel, but your training should have taught you to not allow your emotions to interrupt your focus." the elf saw something flash in the girl's blue eyes—anger most likely. "Bringing in one of your own, even killing him propelled your career. It takes great strength to kill someone you had given your trust to, especially when they are labeled an enemy of the state."

Kai eased up her posture and crossed her arms. "Speaking from experience, Cha-Cha?"

"Of course I am. But unlike you I lacked the resolve to follow through. Thus is why I am here."

"Oh…I…"

"Don't feel sorry for me. It won't do you or anyone any help."

"Right…how is Axel alive?"

"Quite possibly Trinity had used the Regeneration Program to revive him. I wouldn't be surprise if Trinity also used their experiments on him."

"Can you tell me why Axel is in Par Vollen?"

"I would assume it's because he's qunari."

"A little racist but understandable." Kai muttered, toeing the flagstone. "Have you heard any rumors or reports about him?"

"Last I heard he assumed the role of Arishok." Cha'na turned fully to face Kai. "The list of agents you had been scrolling through hasn't been updated in two years. Another sign that Trinity has all but abandoned this location and quite possibly this era. It's safe to assume that the Qun's triumvirate are all agents of Trinity. If you have any intentions of tracking down Axel and finishing loose ends I would advise against it."

"Tch! You now giving me advice for a plan I have barely given a thought to?" Kai asked.

The elf smirked at her, "The First-Warden may worship you as the hero he has always admired, but to the others who have never met you until now only see a child."

"Make your point."

"You have the best chance in leading us all to certain freedom. Break our chains from Trinity forever. I can help you become the leader this rebellion lacks."

"Sounds like you want me to be your puppet."

"I understand why you may view it that way so let me say that if you chose to kill me I wouldn't be able to stop you even if I tried. I worked for military intelligence for decades, meaning I was always indoors behind computers, never have I wielded a gun since my Academy days and even then I was a poor shot. I am no solider, I never was. I cannot offer you anything more than information, but only if you are willing to give me your ear to listen."

Kai was silent for a minute, considering his offer. "Why should I become their leader? I know nothing of this Thedas."

To her surprise, Cha'na gave her an unguarded smile that looked… _hopeful._ "But you will know it. You are exactly what we need in a leader."

"I need to think about it."

"Of course, you have until you leave Weisshaupt to give me your answer."

xxxxx

Fredrick yawned, his hot breath creating a small cloud before quickly disappearing. He was sitting beside Kai on the wall of the ramparts, watching the sunrise together. The air was crisp with the hints of autumn settling in as the trees began to subtly change color. The wildlife living in the mountains were beginning to stir with the rising sun, the first chirpings of birds carrying up to their ears.

"Have you ever been to the Presidium Ring?" Kai asked.

"No, never. I've never been off planet." Fredrick said, "Damn shame, too. I hear the view is impressive."

"It quickly loses its charm." Kai said, "To be so far away from Thedas but to also be surrounded by what is supposed to be the best of Thedas…I for one hated it. I hated the silence of space. I hated the sterile atmosphere. I hated how confining it was with no place to go. I hated how even though I was surrounded by people it still felt incredibly lonely."

"Coming from someone who has been there I suppose I should simply scratch that off my bucket list."

"Don't get me wrong, it's different if you're just visiting. Living there is another story. Stricter regulations and tighter security because of the diplomats and so-called important personnel."

"I always thought it was a stupid idea to have all those big hats in one place. Leaves them vulnerable for a well-aimed missile attack."

Kai snorted, "That's for sure." They fell into silence as they watched the sunrise and listened to the birds sing their morning songs.

"I hope you succeed in taking down Trinity, 'cause I never wanna go back." Fredrick said softly. "This place, this era, this Thedas…it's too beautiful and wonderful to give up. I'll willingly give up my other arm and both legs if it means I can stay here 'til the day I die."

Kai thought back to what Cha'na had proposed to her last evening. "Freddie, this rebellion against Trinity…would you follow me if I lead it?"

Fredrick let out a chuckle. "Didn't I tell ya that I'd follow you blind into a horde of darkspawn?"

Kai snorted in amusement. "I'm being serious, would you follow me as your leader?"

"Ya have always been my leader, Kailah Hawke. I will follow ya to the Void and back. That I promise ya."

"Would the others?"

"They're a lot like me. Lost without purpose. Show 'em the leader that I know and they'll follow without fault."

"Actions do speak louder than words, don't they?"

"Cha'na obviously asked ya to take up the mantle, didn't he?" Fredrick let out a sigh, "That elf doesn't waste time. Well, if I may suggest, there have been a few outposts known for agents still loyal to Trinity, and they're not too far off route that you'll be takin' with your uncle."

"Really now?"

xxxxx

Anders let out a wide yawn, struggling to stay awake as Kai continued her marathon of training. At the moment, she was still running on the treadmill. Anders could only guess that she had been running for hours because they had finished lunch before Kai jumped back into her mode of absolute focus. Now he could only guess that it was close to dinner time as his stomach rumbled loudly.

"Quit yawning, you're making me tired." Carver grumbled grumpily.

"She's been on that thing for hours now. Doesn't she get tired?" Anders whined, bored out of his mind.

"Cha'na said she has to build up her stamina and strength back to where it's supposed to be. Whatever that means." Carver said, still managing to sound grumpy despite how proud he was of Kai's focus. "Though that elf needs to stop talking about charts and statistics because I don't understand any of it, especially when he _shows_ me strange glyphs and numbers."

"Well, excuse me for trying to give you a visual of Kai's goals." Cha'na said in a clipped tone, surprising the two wardens for seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The elf simply regarded them with a cool stare before walking over to Kai, still running in place of the treadmill. He watched her for a moment before his eyes flickered to the electric grid monitoring her stats and mileage. "You can stop."

Like a trigger Kai immediately pressed the button to stop the machine and slowly came to a stop, bracing her palms on the hand rails as she bent over, panting heavily as sweat poured off her skin. Her shirt and pants were completely soaked through and her limbs felt like jelly. After a minute, Kai ventured to test her limbs as she stood up straight and stiffly stepped off the treadmill. Taking a few cautious steps she felt confident enough to begin the walk towards the exit, ready for a relaxing bath and something filling to eat.

"Once you're clean and rested come find me in the library. I have something for you." Cha'na said.

"Let me guess, a book?" Kai asked sarcastically.

"You'll see." Cha'na said before waving Kai off.

Carver had to help her up the stairs back to her room but from there Kai took care of herself. After bathing she met her uncle and Marie in the mess hall for dinner, sitting with them with a plate full of food. Though with her increase in training and spending longer hours in the gym, Kai was noticing all her hard work was paying off. She felt stronger and faster, and when she tested her rune tattoos they hurt less. It was only a matter of time and continued training until she will be at the same level she was.

As requested, Kai went to the library after she had cleaned up and ate dinner. She found Cha'na towards the back of the library. Cha'na tossed something to Kai who caught it easily in her right hand. She opened her palm to see that it was her helmet reverted to its retracted form. She hooked it onto her right ear and activated it, happy that it was working properly again before deactivating it and letting it sit on her ear.

"I had it fixed, just like you asked." Cha'na said in his usual dismissive tone. "I also took the liberty of adding a few things to the system so it will link up with your phone. Just be mindful about the satellites, they're still capable of tracking all of us even though I have modified a few things with a stronger firewall it is still unknown whether it will keep you off the radar."

"So Hattie was right about the satellites, too. That woman was seriously scary smart." Kai said.

"Hattie? Hattie Brier?" Cha'na asked, his ears perking up slightly in interest.

"I never got her name but she had wild red hair, super thick glasses, rambles on and on without making much sense."

"That's Brier and that might be a problem." Cha'na said, cupping his chin in thought and his brows furrowing. "We had worked closely together in my earlier career within Intel. She had been one of the leading scientists inside Trinity, researching the effects of modified darkspawn blood and how to make super soldiers. She was crazy then, not caring about the failed experiments, solely focused on the end result. I think she was trying to recreate whatever strange cocktail serum they gave you and the others in the Malapa Project because the doctor behind its creation had destroyed all his research and notes about it before killing himself."

A chill ran down Kai's spine. She had no idea about Hattie.

"If that's true then it explains why Hattie had wanted to study me while I was hiding away in that rebel base."

"You're also the only survivor of the Graduation Test."

"But I'm not the only survivor of the Malapa Project."

Cha'na shook his head. "That's true, there are quite a few of you, but your group specifically was the one monitored by Dr. Orchis."

"Oh, right…I forgot there were different groups within the project." Kai chewed her bottom lip. "So then should I be worried that Hattie had joined the rebels?"

"I wouldn't trust her. She should've been institutionalized instead of being allowed to continue experimenting on people. From what I remember she was obsessed with Dr. Orchis' work and had once gone into a fit of rage when she had heard that none of his work could be salvaged." His large green eyes looked at Kai. "She didn't get a sample of your blood or gave you anything, did she?"

Kai thought back to the faulty pen of medicine Hattie had given her and her friends. "She gave us serum to inject once we successfully arrived to the past, something about counteracting the effects of oxygen toxicity. I can't speak for my friends because I lost them in the time stream, but I can tell you that I never took mine because the vial was damaged and everything leaked out."

Cha'na nodded his head. "It's probably for the best. Regardless of who she is working for, Hattie will only follow those who have the resources she needs to continue her experiments. She is not to be trusted and more than likely was still working for Trinity as a double agent."

That made Kai uneasy but it made sense how Trinity had seemed to find them so fast. If her friends had made it to the past and used Hattie's serum, Maker only knows if it helped them or not.

"On your travels be wary of Trinity spies. There are still many who remain loyal to them."

"Are they here in Weisshaupt?"

"No. They were… _quietly_ dealt with by my orders."

"Your orders? I thought Freddie was in charge."

"As First-Warden he is in charge of the other Grey Wardens, but within our rebellion of ex-Trinity, I have seniority and higher rank. Of course, now that you're here and are a Spectre, your authority supersedes mine."

Kai shook her head. "Doubtful. I've been branded a traitor, my status as a Spectre has more than likely been revoked."

"You seem to easily forget that we don't care what Trinity has to say. Here, your experience and skill speaks volumes." Cha'na said, smirking at her.

Kai sighed and scratched the back of her head. "You got me there, elf. But I'm not interested in taking over. I'm just trying to destroy Trinity in this time and make sure they fail."

"Sounds like you'll need an army."

"I gave it thought, about what we spoke of yesterday. I even spoke to Freddie who told me that I have to prove myself to the others before they will follow me. He mentioned a few outposts of Trinity loyalists on the route to Ferelden."

Cha'na looked at her consideringly before that familiar smirk pulled at his mouth. "Well, let me make a few adjustments in your travel plans."

xxxxx

 _Dear Marion,_

 _I hope you and your family are well. I'm sorry for not writing more often but, well, being a Warden and all doesn't allow me much time for such leisure. I do miss my nephews, though, they must be what, 6 or 7 now? Maybe older? Maker! I can never keep track of such things! Anyways, my reason for writing is to not just check in but to let you know that I will be making a trip down to Ferelden shortly after I send this letter off._

 _This letter I write is to also tell you that I have found Kailah. I know how you and your husband have prayed and searched for her, and I just so happened to come across her by chance on one of my return patrols from the Deep Roads. I cannot go into too much detail as to how I found her but I promise once I arrive that I will explain everything. Rest assured that this is your Kailah. She has the same birth mark on her arm and Maker, she even looks like you, Marian!_

 _I should be arriving before the snow settles in._

 _Your brother,_

 _Carver_

xxxxx

Kai was elated as all her training the past month had paid off, now able to activate the spells in her tattoos and conjure up the throwing knives she so loved to use in a fight. On top of that she could once more throw her knives and daggers and teleport to them without pain. Despite the setback of going through puberty again she was beginning to feel like her old self. Now all she needed was a good fight to really test everything out, which she will be able to on her long journey down to Ferelden.

With her phone updated, Kai will be able to check maps and also be able to reach Cha'na is needed. Thanks to that clever elf he had put in pins in her digital map of all the known enemy outposts along the way. She would be lying if she said the prospect of a fight didn't excite her.

"I have already sent word out to a few other outposts that are allies against Trinity." Cha'na said as he stood beside Kai while she packed her saddle. "I expect reports on each outpost you find on your way to Ferelden. You will also be accompanied by some men that Fredrick took the liberty of assigning to travel with you. Other agents who are curious to see the skill of a well known Spectre."

"Really? That's shway." Kai said, "Thanks again for the help, Cha-Cha." The elf frowned at the nickname but had long since given up in correcting her, knowing it was a losing battle.

"Stay in touch." Fredrick said, holding his left hand out to Kai. She took it, giving it a firm shake as she smiled up at the man she had nothing but gratitude towards.

"I will."

xxxxx

Already a month on the road and Kai had been rather disappointed in the outposts that she and the other agents had infiltrated. Two out of three had been abandoned, the beacons left on. The third outpost had been overrun by _Ben-hassrath_ , none of which knew about the beacon nor about Trinity. Kai and the others killed them regardless, knowing that despite having no qualms against the Qun, they couldn't risk being known for their plans of destroying Trinity. Kai had made it clear that the new Arishok was a dangerous war criminal in the future, and that he could not be trusted as an ally just yet; let alone the rest that made up the Triumvirate.

Carver didn't like the fact that his niece was willingly putting herself in danger, but his concerns for Kai's well-being had been overshadowed by her seemingly enjoying their journey. Marie was right in saying that Kai saw the world through innocent eyes, her sense of wonder keeping Carver's mind off of negative thoughts that had been clouding his mind. Kai looked happy as she rode on her horse beside him while Marie rode on his other side.

It took them two weeks to get down the mountain of the Anderfels, and another two weeks, passing through small villages. Kai loved every second of it, staying up late and listening to Marie talk about the constellations and the stories behind them. The other "Wardens" talked about their time in this time, telling her of the other places of Thedas they had travelled to, talked about the battles they had fought both in this time and in the future. Kai found that they had all fought in the Blitz Wars, though as a Spectre she was never really in the front lines, only on secret missions. Carver and Marie found their tales of the Blitz War and the future beyond fascinating.

Riding a horse had been incredibly uncomfortable at first but she got used to it, getting bolder each mile and eventually confident enough to gallop and jump, giving Carver a mini heart attack while Marie encouraged the behavior all the way to the borders of Nevarra and Orlais where they took a ship across the Waking Sea. Kai had commented as they boarded the ship that she had never traveled by sea before.

"Traveling by air is more convenient. Air ships are faster." she had commented.

"I completely agree, but travelling by land and sea is the price we pay for keeping this world green." said Fivor, a man in his early thirties now. Sandy blonde hair, hazel brown eyes, and keloid scars that ran from his left cheek down to his clavicle. Kai had asked about the scars early in their journey and he shared the story of how a genlock caught him off guard during his first year when he went on a expedition in the Deep Roads. That had been ten years ago.

Kai learned that most of the ex-Trinity soldiers had been trapped in the past for a decade or longer, which made Kai understand their bitterness a bit more, and grateful for Trinity's neglect.

"Still, I'm sure I've developed calluses on my ass." Kai mumbled.

The smell of the salty air was sweet and pungent in her nose; the sea breeze refreshing and the sun made the water sparkle like diamonds. It was so beautiful that Kai couldn't be taken away from the ship's rail, so enraptured by the view of the open water. It was a shame that Carver didn't feel the same as he stayed below deck in his cabin, suffering from sea sickness. If Kai had it her way she would stay up on deck even through the night, but Marie would scold her and tell her to go back to her cabin and sleep.

"You are the finest treasure I have ever seen." said one of the passengers in a thick Antivan accent as he came up to Kai and leaned his hip against the rail. Kai looked away from her ocean watching with great annoyance to turn her head to her right to look at the soon-to-be-dead man. Judging from his clothes he looked like a merchant, but the way he carried himself and the fact that he had poorly concealed his weapons. On the left side of his face was a tattoo of nothing but swirls and curvy lines. "The way you gaze out at sea with such adoration on your beautiful face has truly captured my heart." He made a flourishing bow to her and took her hand, kissing the back of her tattooed knuckles. "To have a beauty such as yourself to even look at me in such a way would make this humble merchant most joyous."

Kai snorted, not bothering to hide her laugh. " _Wooow…_ " Kai said, turning to look at Fivor who was snickering behind her. "Is this guy for real?"

Fivor held up his hands. "I'm embarrassed for him."

Kai looked back in time to see the look of mortification and hurt pride written all over the Antivan's face. "Look, I'm sure you're a nice guy and everything, but I'm thirteen and _sooo_ not interested in a man who's clearly a pedophile. Plus I'm travelling with my uncle and his friends who just so happen to be Grey Wardens."

Fivor composed himself enough to stand tall and intimidating, placing a hand on the handle of his sword on his hip. Kai watched the Antivan take the walk of shame while Marie came up behind Kai, standing beside her with her arms crossed under her breasts. "Poor sod." Marie snickered, "That had to be, what…the third man you've sent away on this ship alone? Not to mention all those young suitors in the villages we passed. You're quite popular."

Fivor snorted, relaxing his posture before taking his leave to head down to the cabins.

"Yup, little Miss Popular, that's me." Kai grinned.

"It's a good thing Carver is sleeping in his cabin, his face would go from green to purple in a split second." Marie looked at Kai, "You seem to be enjoying yourself on this trip. Carver was worried that you would be miserable out of boredom on the road for so long."

"Honestly, I'm having a blast."

xxxxx

Finally reaching the port in Amaranthine, the ship docked and from there they would travel on horseback to Vigil's Keep. Less than a day's ride away from the city. Kai loved sailing on the open sea, even when they sailed through violent storms which was exciting for her, not so much for Carver. The poor Warden could never get his sea legs. Carver couldn't have been happier to be off the ship and back on land. In Amaranthine they bought more supplies and stayed the night in the port inn. Marie and Kai shared a room while Carver shared another room with the other three Wardens. Their plan was getting a night's sleep before they were to head off in the morning.

"So you haven't seen your sister in how long?" Kai asked as she sat cross-legged on the bed in the "boys'" room, typing a text to Cha'na to update the elf.

"Hmm…Malcolm was just starting to walk when I last saw my sister, I think." Carver said.

"And that was…?"

"Six, maybe seven years ago."

"Maybe?"

Carver rolled his eyes as he scratched the back of his head. "It's hard keeping track of time when you're a Warden."

"A convenient excuse."

"You're one to talk about keeping track of time." said Frith, the only elf to be traveling with them. He had been in a few of Kai's classes in the Academy, thus being the only person in the group to know Kai a bit more than the others. He was the age Kai should be had time traveling not messed up her biology.

Kai kicked the elf's side, making him laugh. "Like you would know me so well just because we were in the same year." She sent the text update and then looked at Marie. "So, Marie, have you met my mother?"

The pretty mage smiled. "Yes, a few times. My first time meeting her was years ago in Kirkwall during the Qunari threat." Marie said.

"Right, that was actually my favorite part in the book."

"It's actually one the most popular history subject in the future." Fivor said.

"Really? That story lasts a thousand years?" Marie asked as she sat down beside Kai.

"Yeah, but what history has to say about it left out a lot of details." Kai said, drawing her right knee up to her chest. "I think when I finally meet her I'd like to hear the real story from her. Get her perspective of it."

"I've probably read the Tales of the Champion a hundred times." Frith said, "Man, you're so lucky that the Champion of Kirkwall is your biological mother."

"Yeah…lucky." Kai said, suddenly feeling awkward. She was still having trouble wrapping her head around the concept that her parents were not only war heroes but heroes in history.

As if sensing Kai's mood Marie stood up. "All right, time for bed."

"Seriously?"

Marie pointed a finger at Kai, "And you are not doing any midnight exploring tonight, either. _None_ of you." Kai rolled her eyes while the three other Wardens snickered. She snapped her fingers at Kai and pointed to the door. Rolling her eyes again Kai moved off the bed and left the boys' room to hers and Marie's that was across the hall.

"Night." Kai said over her shoulder.

Once Kai was certain that Marie was completely asleep, the young teen quietly slipped out of bed, fully dressed in her gear, and went out the door to the hallway. From there she walked to the end of the hall and out the window, climbing to the roof where the other three had been waiting for her.

"The outpost here in Highever is only a few buildings away." Frith said as he checked his map on his phone.

"Good." Kai said as she adjusted the gauntlets on her forearms. Before leaving Weisshaupt Fredrick had allowed Kai to go through their Trinity armory to get a temporary suit and body armor that would fit her better until she grew back to her full adult self. That man was just too eager to please his hero. Kai activated her helmet and the others followed suit. "Let's finish this bit of business before daybreak. Lead the way, Frith."

The four of them set out, running across the roofs of buildings under the protection of darkness. Not even the moon was out that night. The night vision in their helmets kept them from stumbling blindly as they jumped over alleys and in no time were standing on the roof of the outpost.

Victor scouted out all possible exits and entrances, finding no guards or scouts. It gave off the vibe that it could very well be another abandoned post with an active beacon like before. But they still had to proceed with caution. Victor found an unlocked window, slipping inside first before giving the signal that the room was clear.

It was quiet inside and scanning the room it appeared that they had entered a private residence. A single bed against one wall, a dresser, a small writing desk and chair. Nothing hung from walls, though, making the room look stale and barren. Not wanting to risk too much sound, Kai signaled to the others with her hands, telling them to split up. Frith and Victor left the room first, heading down the hall to explore the second level while Kai and Fivor headed downstairs. Now that they were seeing a bit more of the place, it became clear that the building wasn't a place of residence so much as it was actually a small warehouse full of crates and barrels. Heavy chains lined with rust hung from the walls and banisters of the first floor, but there was still no sign of activity or of the beacon. Maybe a basement?

Kai searched the first floor, going through a wooden door on screeching hinges. So much for keeping quiet. She and Fivor waited a minute before heading through the door into yet another empty room. Fivor took notice of a latch door in the floor and immediately a foul stench met them. Even through their helmets with filters the two of them gagged at the smell that seeped through. That was definitely not a good sign as Kai was starting to get a bad feeling about this new development. Fivor flashed a flashlight into the pitch darkness, moving the light around to try to get a peek at what was below.

Kai pushed away the chill that was ebbing through her as she motioned to Fivor to stay as she would go down first to scope out the area. Fivor didn't argue which Kai was grateful for since she knew that this small team of hers didn't have as much experience in the field like she does. Did? No does. Despite her reversed age she still retained her higher rank in the eyes of the soldiers who were with her. She switched her night vision to pick up heat signals in case the agents were hiding in the dark. Cautiously she stepped further into the room, feeling her boots squish into what felt like a rather _thick_ puddle of _something._

Switching back to night vision she could see the floor was covered with coagulating blood. Crouching down to examine it a little closer Kai could make a guess that the blood was only a day old. Which meant that whoever was here had either been killed or has been doing the killing.

"Everyone, come down to the basement. We have a situation down here." Kai said into the com-link.

"Roger that." came Victor's response just as she heard Fivor land behind her.

"Holy Maker! The smell's more intense down here!" Fivor said, coughing into his helmet. He obviously missed the sound of something skittering in the far side of the room, but Kai didn't.

"Shut it!" Kai hissed, "We're not alone down here." She reached over her shoulders and unsheathed her dual blades, gripping the handles tightly as she slowly walked further into the room, searching for whatever was in there with them.

The room was an L shape and as Kai walked around the corner to the other section of the room she immediately skittered a paces back, her eyes going wide at what was before her. The horror of it giving her violent flashbacks to Redcliff as she saw the bodies of the stationed agents. Each one had been torn to shreds, gutted, mutilated beyond recognition. Her stomach turned at the sight and felt the sourness rising quickly. Unable to hold it back she turned quickly, deactivating her helmet as she braced a hand against the wall and vomited.

"Kai, you okay?" she heard Fivor asked before a gasp of horror escaped him after seeing what she saw. "Wh—what could've done this?"

"Whoa! There is a rainbow of foulness in here!" came Victor's voice.

"Kai. Fivor." came Frith's voice as the sound of him and Victor dropping down into the basement reached them. "You find anything?"

"Yeah, but we weren't expecting this." Fivor said. Both Frith and Victor went silent after seeing the carnage.

Kai spat out what she could of the sourness from her mouth before activating her helmet again. "Keep your guard up, there's something in here. It's probably whatever did this."

A low, guttural growl put them all on alert, everyone drawing their weapons and made a circle with their backs to each other. Kai felt something dribble onto the top of her helmet and looked up to see a monster clinging to the ceiling while its grotesque head was turned down towards them.

"Above us!" Kai shouted and the four of the scattered as the monster dropped down to where they had been standing. Kai skid to a halt on the slippery floor, her dual blades ready as she faced the monster. This was too familiar to Redcliff. The panic she had felt then returning now as she gripped her weapons tightly. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't afraid! SHE WASN'T AFRAID!

The monster lunged at her and Kai moved out of the way, just barely missing a swipe of its talons. She twisted her body, swinging her right arm around and her blade glanced off its hide, not at all making a cut. That's a problem.

"Everyone out! Get out!" she yelled to the others. She attacked again with her blades but still didn't even make a scratch before turning and running back to the exit, climbing as quickly as possible up the ladder before Victor slammed the latch door shut. The monster tried to follow; lifting the latch but all four of them body slammed the latch, forcing it shut under their combined weight.

"Holy shit! What the fuck is that thing?!" Fivor exclaimed.

"Your mum!" Frith bit out sarcastically.

"Fuck you, elf!" Fivor growled.

The monster slammed up against the latch, making the four of them bounce up before falling back on top.

"Whatever it is, it obviously killed everyone in this outpost." Kai said, "This thing can't get out. It'll kill everyone in Highever."

"A-agreed!" Frith said, "But what are we gonna do? Your blades didn't cut it! What makes you think our weapons will?"

"Bullets might not work, either!" Victor said. The latch bumped up again under their weight.

"I have an idea, but you're not gonna like it." Kai said.

"Tell us anyway." Frith said.

"Let it out." Kai said. Immediately she was met with a resounding note of disagreement. "I've got a few grenade pellets. If I can throw them down that thing's throat then the blast might be able to kill it."

The guys glanced at each other before agreeing to give it a try.

"Just so you know, if we die, I'm never speaking to you again." Fivor quipped.

"Alright, on three." Kai instructed, "One…two…three!" They sprang off the latch door, getting as much distance as possible in the room. The latch was thrown open as the monster clawed its way out, but it was thankfully too large to fit through the latch door and Kai took that opportunity to dispense the pellets from her belt. "I need it distracted!"

"On it!" Victor shouted, grabbing his giant maul from his back and rushing the monster, swinging the head around and connecting with a loud crack against its jaw. The monster howled and snapped its teeth at him but unable to get closer as it struggled to wriggle through the hole. The other two jumped in as well, attacking with their weapons, not able to cut its tough hide but at least keep it distracted as Kai instructed.

Kai climbed onto the crates to get above the thing before jumping down onto the back of its neck. As it reared back with another screeching howl she shoved her right arm down its throat with the activated grenades before pulling back. Her gauntlet catching on its hooked teeth as she pulled her arm free and jumped off. She and the others took cover behind the crates as the creature continued to thrash as it tried to wriggle through before the grenades went off inside it. There was a loud boom and then a splat.

"Well, that could've been a lot grosser." Fivor said, shaking off guts and gooey residue.

"Wow, I think I'm gonna throw up now." said Frith.

Kai came out from her hiding place and strode over to the latch door, now covered in monster guts. "C'mon, we don't have a lot of time. I'm sure we've woken up half of Highever by now." she said before jumping down into the basement.

Victor and Frith followed after her while Fivor groaned squeamishly before following them. The four of them salvaged what they could from the damaged computers before setting a controlled fire that would burn hot and destroy all evidence of the outpost before burning itself out. And no one would be the wiser to think that anything evil had happened, just an unfortunate, contained fire.

When they returned to the inn it came as no surprise that both Carver and Marie were up, waiting for them like a pair of angry parents catching their children sneaking back home.

"This ought to be good." Carver said with a stern frown on his face as he crossed her arms over his chest.


	8. Chapter 7-Family Is Just An F Word

Chapter Six – Family is Just an F Word Part 1

After taking three days to rest and refresh their spirits (mostly Carver since the sailing left him worse for wear) the Grey Wardens and Kai had set off after getting their horses they brought along with them from the stables.

"I wonder who's at Redcliff now." Victor wondered aloud.

"Who knows, I'm just looking forward to not being on the road for awhile." Frith said, "I'm starting to get some serious saddle blisters."

"Gross!" Fivor laughed.

"I can't really say Redcliff is on my bucket list of sights to see." Kai joked as she walked up to her horse and mounted its back. "How far is it from here?"

"From here we'll head south to the Lake Calenhad Docks and from there take a boat across the lake to Redcliff. That's about a week's journey. Then from Redcliff it's less than a day from my sister's home." Carver said.

"Wow, kinda hard to believe that this long-ass road trip is coming to an end." Kai mused, trying to keep her mood light while trying her hardest to suppress the memories of her last visit to Redcliff the closer they drew to the town.

"Not like it'll be the start of a mini vacation." Victor said.

"That's right; our job as Grey Wardens never ends." Carver said.

"That reminds me, how did you guys get into the Grey Wardens without anyone getting suspicious? Did you go through the Joining?" Kai asked, looking at Fivor who was standing beside her.

"We're immune so going through the Joining was no big risk for us." Fivor said with a shrug. "After that it was to avoid suspicion."

Kai nodded her head in understanding.

As Carver had said, they reached the docks at Lake Calenhad within the week, without any further encounters of other outposts like the one in Highever. Kai closed her eyes as she tried to shut out the horrible memories that were beginning to resurface and subconsciously massaged her left thumb into her right palm where her tattoo used to be. The very tattoo that Mimi had etched into her skin that linked her to all her friends, only for it to have vanished after coming to the past.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Marie asked, snapping Kai out of her musings.

"Uh, yeah, I'm just tired, is all." she said, tucking some of her loose hair behind a pierced ear.

"This whole deal of traveling like this is painfully slow."

"Well, unfortunately our modes of transportation are very limited right now." Marie said.

"Yeah, sure." Kai said absently.

 _I hope you guys are safe._

xxxxx

20:03 Red Age

Co-op Bunkers

"You need to hold still." Mimi hissed as she tugged on Kai's wrist.

"I can't help it, the numbing wore off!" Kai said through gritted teeth.

"You sat through it when I did the one on her back." Mimi said as she continued to run the needling pen over Kai's right palm.

"Yeah but that wasn't my hand!"

"Just suck it up, I'm almost done."

Flynn giggled wickedly at the site of their fearless leader, squirming in pain at the hands of their mage. "You can take a bullet to the chest but looks like you draw the line at needles in her hand."

"Clamp it, dwarf!" Kai hissed in annoyance. "You're next."

"There, all finished!" Mimi chirped as she set the pen down and blotted at the wet ink gently. "With these tattoos and the individual ink with a bit of our blood and lyrium, we'll know if something happened to one of us."

"Is this considered blood magic?" Kai asked, grabbing a disposable ice pack, popping the bubble in it and shaking it before holding it on her burning palm.

Mimi shrugged her shoulders, "You can call it that, I doubt using our blood as tattoo ink hardly is considered to be blood magic. Next!"

Kai stood up from the table and walked towards her bedroom. As soon as the door slid open Kai was met with the horrific sight of blood red eyes and a rotting face coming out at her.

xxxxx

09:49 Dragon Age

15 miles outside of Redcliff

Marian re-read the letter she received from Carver that told her that they had just docked at Redcliff Harbor. His previous letter had left many puzzling questions that needed answers, like what he meant about her daughter "falling" out of the Fade. She was relieved and terrified and also skeptical by it and when she shared the letter with her husband he had just laughed at it, thinking it was a terrible joke at first before it began to slowly sink in. They have encountered stranger things before. But this…this had been something they both had been wanting since that dreadful night in Kirkwall.

They didn't know what to expect until her brother arrived with this girl Carver claims is their missing daughter. What was more was that Carver even mentioned the birthmark that both Marian and Cullen remembered vividly. Marian and Cullen had a long conversation once the contents of the letter had sunken in, the discussion of what to do lasting late into the night. There was a lot of uncertainties, mainly if this truly was their daughter. Marian had used all of Varric's connections in searching for even a rumor of her daughter after her kidnapping, even using the Inquisition's network of spies only to come up with nothing.

And now all of a sudden her brother just so happened to come across a girl who was conveniently the right age and had her birthmark in the right spot.

It was all too good to be true.

And it was too tempting to believe before seeing with the very eyes.

"Mother, what are you doing?" Malcolm, her eldest son asked. Marian paused and looked at what she was doing, dragging her youngest son's bed frame into Malcolm's room. Caleb, the youngest, was also standing in the hall, watching his mother curiously.

Marian straightened up and wiped her hands on the skirt of her dress. "Well, I uh…I'm just—I just thought that it would be better if you both sleep in the same room. Caleb is your baby brother and should spend more time with you."

"So then what are you going to do with his room?" Malcolm asked.

"What? Well I…I plan to make it into a guest room." Marian said, "Your Uncle Carver is coming to visit."

"Uncle Carver?" Malcolm perked, a bright smile crossing his face. Marian smiled and nodded her head seeing her youngest also smiling at the name.

"Love, have you seen my tool box?" Cullen called from the front room. "I seem to have misplaced it."

"I think I saw it outside by the barn house." Marian replied before whispering to the boys, "Help me get this into your room. Quick!" With the boys' help they were able to get the bed inside the bedroom, the legs of the bed frame scraping along the wooden floor.

"Love? What's that sound?" Cullen asked, his footsteps coming further into the house and down the hall. "Boys, what are you doing?"

"We were just helping mother." Malcolm said as Cullen peered into the bedroom and seeing Marian giving him an innocent smile.

"What are you doing?" Cullen asked, seeing the bed that was out of place. "What's going on?"

"I was just thinking that the boys should share a room." Marian said, trying to act like everything was normal.

"Boys, go outside." Cullen said, giving his sons a gentle nudge down the hall before turning completely to face his wife. He leaned against the doorway, waiting for an explanation.

"Hear me out, I know I'm getting ahead of myself but what if what Carver wrote is actually true?" Marian said, seeing her husband resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Marian, we've talked about this." Cullen said, pushing off the door frame. "We can't make our final decision until they get here."

"Carver has no reason to lie about such things; he doesn't have that kind of imagination."

"And what if he's under the influence of magic?"

"Cullen," Marian said, walking around the bed frame and to her husband, placing her hands on his chest and looking up into his amber eyes. "I understand your doubts, and even though Carver can be the world's biggest jerk he's at least an honest jerk."

Looking down at his wife and into her beautiful blue eyes he knew he was already on the losing end of this battle. He let out a breath of defeat. "I just hope I won't come to regret this later." Marian smiled brightly up at him and stood on her toes to kiss his lips.

"I promise you that I'll take responsibility." Marian said, "So now that we agree will you help me move the mattress in here?"

Cullen snorted into a laugh and shook his head. "I can tell that you are already getting prepared for their arrival." Marian grinned up at him.

xxxxx

20:15 Red Age

Trinity's Science Division in the Hissing Waste

"Can we coordinate exact time and location?" asked Cor as he stood on the platform where the engineers and mages worked on a new time travel portal. The last time it had been activated they had sent in a horde of mutants, not knowing where they had been sent to just that it was roughly the same time the defectors had been sent to. It had been going as planned until there was an unexpected eruption within the wormhole, causing the vortex to implode and the blowback damaged the machine.

"Once I put in the final formulations from Pavus' notes then I can open a portal to any specific time and place." said Hattie, her wild red hair pulled back into a wild messy bun and the lens of her glasses reflecting the glare of the computer screen. "With my improvements we can now track and pin point every Trinity soldier that we've sent to the past, although what's strange is that I can't go any further than 09:49 Dragon."

"Then we will cut our losses for now and focus on what we can reach." Cor said, "I want my soldiers sent in the next hour. General Dodson, is your team assembled and ready?"

"Yes, Ser, I have chosen the best from the co-op project to seek out and eliminate the defectors." said General Dodson, looking back at the team of ten, all suited up in the Trinity standard uniforms.

"Your team will fail without a doubt if Hattie is able to pinpoint their location. I merely want to know if her calibrations work." Cor said.

"The team I have assembled are the best. Their battle skills have been tested. Their record is nearly a hundred percent perfect." said the General, defensive against Cor's dismissive attitude.

"They've never gone against a Spectre of this caliber." Cor said, "It'll be a good test of her skill to kill a bunch of children again for the preservation of survival."

"Or—" Hattie interjected, spinning around in her chair to look at them through her thick lenses glasses that magnified the size of her eyes. "We can send in the prototypes, put them to the test. I've been needing to do a beta run."

xxxxx

09:49 Dragon Age

Redcliff

Kai knew it wasn't the same Redcliff like the one from 20:04 Red Age, but it still didn't stop her from feeling on edge, looking for monsters in the shadows. She even walked a little closer to her Uncle while trying not to be too obvious. The sooner they leave Redcliff the better.

She didn't do anxiety well.

Too preoccupied with keeping her past trauma from rearing its head she missed the sights of the Redcliff that currently stood. At the gates leaving the village was where they parted ways with Fivor, Frith and Victor who stated they were given orders to check in with the outpost in Redcliff. A real shame since Kai had grown fond of their company. On the plus side, she was putting Redcliff behind her physically.

xxxxx

Traveling fifteen miles outside of Redcliff, staying on the main road that lead north along Lake Calenhad, it only took them a few hours by horseback (which Kai was sure they could have made it within an hour had they made the horses run) to reach the edge of what looked like a small farming community. There were wooden houses, stables, store houses, and the smell of manure that Kai had gotten familiar with on their journey south. She was sure if she ventured off the beaten path she'd find fields upon fields of crops (maybe). Yet the more she saw on the outside, the less she began to think of this community was for farming but more for something else. Half the people looked pale and sickly while the other half looked like they were on the rebound from something. That might have to be something she'll look into later if she remembered.

They were stopped and relieved of their horses as stable-hands took them away after their packs were unloaded. Following Carver and Marie they proceeded further into the community towards the largest house that had been built on a small hump of a hill. Suddenly Kai's nerves kicked into overdrive as her heart raced and her palms moistened with sweat. She was just about to meet her parents. The parents that she had been taken from as a baby by Cor. What were they like? Her file had been very vague about them, just giving their names. She figured out the rest from there but all the stories she's heard and read were obviously exaggerated, except for what Carver had told her.

"Carver! You're finally here!" came a woman's voice.

Crap! Out of time.

"Hello, sister," Carver said, accepting the hug from Marian before she quickly pulled away and pinched her nose.

"Maker! You smell as though you rolled in something that died." she said.

"Well, I see my welcoming was short-lived, per usual." Carver said sarcastically.

"Marie! It's been so long!" Marian said, going to the mage and hugging her warmly. "And you're still with my brother, I see. I figured you would have gotten tired of his sour personality." Marie laughed as she hugged Marian back while Kai hung back, not knowing what to do. Introduce herself with a handshake? These life changing scenarios were never implemented in her training in the Academy or in the Spectres. Fuck it, she'd rather face a Reaper right now, at least she knew what to do in that scenario.

"Carver, it's good to see you." came a gentle timber of a man's voice. "I do hope your travels have been safe."

"Uncle Carver!" came a cry as two young boys came running out and assaulting Carver's middle, making the Grey Warden bracing himself as he wrapped his arms around their small shoulders.

"Maker's breath! You're both so big already!" Carver said with a broad grin on his face.

Kai nervously shifted on her feet as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. A scene of a happy family. A family that she had been taken from. A family that clearly had moved on. Why the fuck did she come all this way? What was she expecting? She shouldn't have let such childish fantasies of reuniting with her family take priority, especially when she's already lived a life they wouldn't understand or approve of. They don't want a killer in their family. They don't want someone who is already damaged to ruin their image.

"By the Maker…" came a hushed gasp as all seem to go quiet.

Kai looked up at the pair of faces looking back at her. With just a few seconds on each face Kai could see where she got her features and traits from. She mostly related to her mother, now _seeing_ the resemblance between them. She felt paralyzed with emotion, not knowing how to process it all without exploding though the pressure behind her eyes was hot and burning. Tears? Crap, was she going to cry? Because that was the last thing she should do in front of them. She was a seriously ugly crier. Red face. Snot. Just awful.

Before Kai could even think about turning tail she was wrapped in a tight embrace by them both.

"You're back. Thank the Maker." Marian whispered, tears streaming down her face as she finally held her daughter once more in her arms.

"Welcome home, Kailah. We've all have been waiting for you." Cullen said as the two boys came up to them. "Malcolm. Caleb. Come greet your sister."

When Kailah was surrounded in a family hug of her dreams she finally broke and allowed the damn of emotions to break free. Hugging them back.

She was home.

Finally.

xxxxx

It was agreed that questions will be answered in the morning after a good night's rest. Although it didn't stop Malcolm from asking Kai whatever popped into his inquisitive mind. Marian and Cullen warned him to let his sister rest but Kai humored the boy. Plus it also answered some of the burning questions her parent's had been wanting to ask.

"Where have you been this whole time?" Malcolm asked as everyone was settled at the table for supper.

"In the future." Kai replied, knowing she wasn't supposed to talk about it but her parents deserved the truth, repercussions be damned. "You probably know that I was kidnapped as a baby, well my kidnapper took me to the future. A thousand years in fact."

Malcolm's mouth and eyes gaped wide. It was cute, especially when Caleb, the youngest, mirrored his brother's expression. Malcolm was a good mix of both their parents, he had their mother's black hair and straight nose and soft jaw line; while he had curls in his black hair, amber eyes, and curved mouth like their father's. Caleb on the other hand was an exact clone of their father, right down to the last golden curl on his head.

"What's the future like?" Malcolm asked.

"Terrible." Kai answered, looking around and seeing she had everyone's attention. "In the future, the air is so polluted it's basically poison and so people have to wear special masks to filter in clean air. Growing up in that kind of environment, my body had to become accustomed to being oxygen deprived. Everyone in the future had to acclimate to that condition. I think someone told me that our air was ten percent oxygen compared to this era? All I know is that the air quality here is _much_ better."

"What else is different about the future?" Malcolm asked.

"Maker…Malcolm, you should let your sister eat her food in peace, son." Cullen said.

"It's okay," Kai said, "It's only fair that he's curious. You can ask me anything as well."

"Mine first!" Malcolm said quickly, spitting a bit of bread crumbs onto the table.

"In the future people have gone to the moon." Kai said.

"Really?! Have you gone to the moon?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes I have, many times unfortunately." Kai said, "And before you get ahead of yourself it was for work. The moon is where the highest maximum security prison is for the most dangerous of criminals in Thedas."

"Like blood mages?"

Kai had to catch herself, forgetting that blood magic was illegal in this era. "No, more on the scale of serious war criminals and enemies of the state and specific types of smugglers." She saw the confused looks on her parents' faces. "I can explain that part later, it's um…a little complicated."

"Are you a mage?" Malcolm asked.

"No, which is a shame because magic would've come in handy for me on more than a few occasions." Kai said, earning a collective chuckle around the table. "Are you and Caleb mages?"

"I am!" Malcolm said proudly, puffing his chest out.

"We don't know if Caleb will manifest magic." Marian said, "He has yet to show any signs."

Kai leaned over to Caleb, "It's okay if you don't have magic."

Caleb gave her a shy smile.

"Da teaches us sword fighting, too!" Malcolm said enthusiastically.

"Really? Then maybe tomorrow you can show me your skill?" Kai said, seeing the faces of her brothers light up. Not even half a day and already Kai felt so right with where she was now, whatever little knot of tension was left inside her had eased away in the little hours it took for her to sit and break bread with her family.

Once the table had been cleared and the boys put to bed, Kai stayed up late with her parents to talk privately in the living room. Carver and Marie had already excused themselves for the evening to retire to the guest room. Kai told Marian and Cullen everything that they needed to know about her upbringing under Trinty's watch, a brief rundown of her military career until she was framed for a crime she did not commit.

"Before going through the wormhole there had been five of us but I got separated from the others while inside the vortex. After that I don't remember anything really until I woke up in Weisshaupt." Kai said, going on to explaining the rebels of ex-Trinity soldiers and how she has been working with them to track every outpost and shut it down. She omitted the horrific discovery of Highever. "Don't worry; now that I'm here I have no intention of running off anytime soon." Again leaving out the possible danger that Trinity might find her again. "So what do you both do now that you have a family and aren't involved with the Inquisition?"

Cullen smiled as he leaned back in his seat and began to tell her what they have done since the closing of the Rifts.

xxxxx

Kai was impressed by the layout of the farm. Could it even be called a farm? She supposed with all the animals and stables and such it could be called such a thing; but it was also a place for healing for Templars leaving the Order and rehabilitating from their lyrium use. According to her father, who admitted to having a lyrium addiction, that leaving the Order had been the best choice of his life. With Marian's support, he was able to quit lyrium all together and had decided to help other Templars like him also break away from their Chantry leashes. Regardless of what the place was considered, Kai was taken by the scenery. The land her parents owned resided by Lake Calenhad, just north of Redcliff of which she could just barely make out the castle in the distance from her vantage point. To the west was the Frostback Mountains, and a three day journey by horseback to Skyhold (or so she was told).

Her new home could be considered modestly built, the main house large enough to accommodate all of them comfortably with two spare guest rooms. The main house sat upon the top of the small hill (in all its "modest" glory) and halfway down the hill were two more houses where the recovering Templars resided. Then beyond that were the stables and storage houses and beyond that were the wheat fields and orchards. Plots of vegetable and herb gardens lined the sides of the Templar houses. The way their system seemed to work was that the recovered Templars will help the newcomers transition during their "cleansing" phase before eventually leaving. A few had stayed long term from what Kai understood, but however they did it seemed to work and flow smoothly.

The sad truth about it was that all junkies were the same, no matter what era they were from.

Her father, Cullen, oversaw to each Templar that came to this place, broken and seeking a second chance at life. It was something Kai respected. It was admirable that her parents opened their home to them, helping them through every step of withdrawal. Her parents had created a haven for them, a safe place, and their act of compassion and understanding humbled Kai.

But it didn't stop her from snooping around.

After lunch Malcolm and Caleb took it upon themselves to show their big sister around. Caleb had immediately grown attached to Kai, wanting to hold her hand and keep her attention to himself even though he didn't talk at all. Kai thought it was cute, reminding her strongly of how Mimi acted, always wanting to be the center of attention.

"Caleb, why don't you tell me a little about yourself?" Kai asked, looking down at the youngest Rutherford.

"He doesn't talk," Malcolm said, "I mean, he can't talk. He hasn't been able to talk since he got sick from a spider bite last year."

Kai looked from Malcolm and then to Caleb, seeing the five year old looking away as if his disability were shameful. Kai knelt down in front of him and put her hands on his arms, turning him towards her.

"Hey, it's all right. Do you know how to talk without making noise?" she asked. Caleb looked at her with his warm amber eyes and shook his head. "Do you know how to communicate to anyone?"

"Caleb will sometimes write us notes." Malcolm said.

"So you don't know how to sign with your hands?" Kai asked.

Caleb shook his head.

"Do you want me to teach you?" Kai asked, "It will be harder than simply writing, but it'll be handy when you're older. I've met a lot of people who cannot speak or hear and communicate using sign language with their hands."

Caleb's mouth slightly gaped open at her offer before a bright grin spread across his cherub face and then immediately hugged Kai. Kai let out a soft laugh as she hugged him back. At least she'll be keeping busy for awhile, helping Caleb find his new voice.

xxxxx

Another two days slipped by quickly and by the end of the week Carver and Marie were preparing to leave though they prepared with heavy hearts. Especially for Carver, knowing he was going to miss seeing his nephews and niece everyday. But his duty as a Grey Warden unfortunately came first, and he and Marie had to report to Denerim's headquarters. At least this time he won't be thousands of miles away this time.

"Don't forget to write more often." Marian said as she gave her brother a tight hug.

"I promise to write more than once a year." Carver said as he pulled back from the hug to give his nephews hugs as well. He then gave Kai a hug. "Take care of yourself."

"I will. And thanks for everything." Kai said.

The days that followed Kai was once again filled with enthrallment by her surroundings and was as giddy as a child in a candy store when she saw that the farm not only had chickens but a pen of nugs and a cow that produced creamy milk. She never had done chores like she had on the farm and didn't understand why the boys thought them tedious when she thought they were fun. She observed how her parents helped with the Templars recovery and assisted when an extra hand was needed. She would hear nothing but praise from the Templars about her parents, saying they were more charitable than the Chantry.

Between the chores and work around the farm, Kai would teach Caleb sign language. Malcolm would even sit with them to learn, wanting to be able to understand his brother which Kai knew was a good idea. Marian and Cullen approved of the lessons, even sitting in on a few lessons. Kai taught the basics until Caleb had a handle on it.

Her favorite part of the farm had to be the garden where rows of vegetables were growing. She explained to everyone that fresh food was nonexistent in the future and that everything was synthetic and fake, even the water. She had shown them the food pills and hydration capsules, even letting them try them and laughed when they made faces of disgust at the bitter pellets. In the afternoon she would play with the boys, showing them simple training moves in the fields and then demonstrating more advanced techniques that had taken her years to perfect. She never showed them her weapons, even when they begged her since she knew their parents would disapprove, plus she saw no point if she herself had no need for them.

Two weeks had gone by in what felt like a blink of an eye. Kai having grown comfortable in calling Marian and Cullen "mum" and "da." It was strange at first for Kai, since she struggled with such a transition but with constant use it became natural. Marian also mentioned that the children rarely go into town and so for a daughter to suddenly show up the back story would be that she simply had no need to venture away from home. Kai figured that story could be believable since from what she saw in her travels women were regularly oppressed into submissive roles.

"Kailah, would you like to go into town with me tomorrow?" Cullen asked. Kai looked up from the book she was reading and gave him a big smile as she nodded. She definitely wanted to see more than what was on the farm.

"Good, I'm sure we'll have fun tomorrow." Cullen smiled as he left to go wash off the sweat and grime from another hard day on the farm.

"What'cha reading?" Malcolm asked, coming to sit on the floor next to her. Kai turned the book over to show him the cover. " _This Shit Is Weird_ ," he read, "I don't remember that one."

"One of the Templars loaned it to me. He said it's a collection of stories from the Inquisition. There's a chapter in here about mum."

"There's another book about mum?" Malcolm asked, suddenly interested as he plopped down on the sofa beside her.

"No, she's only mentioned a few times assisting the Inquisitor with the mysteries of the missing Grey Wardens." Kai said.

"Really? They had gone missing? Why?" Malcolm asked as Caleb came into the living room after his bath and quietly joined them, snuggling into Kai's other side, making the teen move over to make room.

"Maybe we should read this from the beginning." Kai said, not minding as she flipped back to the first chapter.

"Maker, you shouldn't spoil those boys any more than you already have, Kailah." Marian said as she came into the living room, wiping her hands on her apron but paused when she saw the book in Kai's hands and then groaned. "Good grief, not another one of Varric's books."

"The author?" Kai asked, looking at the cover again where the authors name was on the bottom of the cover. "He's the same author who wrote the _Tales of the Champion_ , right?"

"More like told exaggerated tales." she grumbled. "I suppose you read that awful book as well?"

"I wouldn't call it awful, over the top maybe. Uncle Carver had given me a copy when we were in Weisshaupt." Kai said.

"Ugh! Of course he would!" Marian said, "Well, don't stay up too late."

xxxxx

The next morning Kai and Cullen were off to town, which just so happened to be Redcliff, must to Kai's chagrin. Kai kept her discomfort to herself. There was no need to burden her family about her past trauma.

"So what's it like on the moon?" Malcolm asked. He and Caleb sat in the back of the wagon that Cullen drove into town.

"Well, it's actually nothing special. It's not inhabitable because it has no atmosphere. It's just a barren hunk of rock orbiting Thedas." Kai explained, "There's no air to breathe so you have to wear a special suit and helmet to protect you. The moon also has no gravitational pull so when you walk you have to be careful not to push or kick off too hard, or else you'll risk floating away."

"But you said there's a prison on there." Malcolm said.

"There is or will be. In a thousand years." Kai said.

" _And did you put a lot of bad guys in that prison?"_ Caleb signed.

"I'm responsible for putting a few away." Kai smirked, signing her words at the same time. It was important to communicate both ways for Caleb so he knew and understand. "But I always had help doing it."

"Did you have a ragtag team of your own like your mother?" Cullen asked, getting Kai's attention. He gave her a crooked smile.

"You could say that." Kai said with a smile, "In truth I probably wouldn't have survived as long I have without them."

Cullen laughed softly, "You're very much like your mother. She often said she wouldn't be here today if not for the friends she had made in Kirkwall."

"Speaking of Kirkwall, nothing in the book ever mentioned the Champion and the Knight-Captain being romantically involved." Kai said.

"Ah, well, you see…" Cullen sputtered, trying to hide his embarrassment but failing. He took in a breath and slowly exhaled, thinking the truth was better than a watered down version of the truth. "The Templar Order pretty much frowned upon any templar becoming romantically involved with mages. In fact, during those dark days in Kirkwall, it was enough to be stripped of your knighthood and hanged while the mage would be accused of blood magic and made tranquil or worse. So Marian and I had to keep our affair a secret, and even then it was dangerous for us to even exchange passing glances without raising suspicion. Not to mention that your mother was very well known and recognizable."

"I was born a little after the qunari left Kirkwall, right? How did mum manage to hide her pregnancy?"

"Looser robes, mostly. But near the end of her pregnancy she became more secluded in her house. And then after you were born…" he trailed off, the memory of her kidnapping still painful. "You should know that the night you were born was one of the happiest days of my life." He smiled warmly at Kai and she returned the smile.

"So what made you join the Inquisition?" Kai asked.

"That is a very long story, but the short version of that is that I had joined the Inquisition after leaving the Order. I thought of using the Inquisition's resources in trying to find you, actually. Your mother was doing the same but outside the Inquisition. We stayed together even when we were miles apart. After the war with Corypheous I left the Inquisition with your mother and we never looked back since."

"I didn't know that." Malcolm said.

Cullen chuckled, "Of course not, this all happened before you were born." he said as he reached back and ruffling Malcolm's curly black hair. A story Kai was interested in hearing about.

"So what are we getting in town?" Kai asked.

"A list of things, mostly for the farm. Have to replace a few plows and buy more feed for the chickens." Cullen said as he stopped the wagon at the gates. "All right everyone, let's get everything and be home by sundown."

Kai hopped off the wagon on Cullen's side while Cullen helped the boys off the wagon. Redcliff looked different in this era, though the feeling of darkness still seemed to hang in the air. It may not be the same kind of darkness but it still felt…evil. Caleb took hold of her hand and Malcolm to the other and together they followed their father into the bustling streets of Redcliff. She took note of all the buildings and the people, though Kai found it difficult to focus as her eyes wandered from faces to stalls. She suddenly felt the boys pull her in a different direction, excitedly pulling her towards a food stall that was selling something that smelled absolutely heavenly.

"Da! Can we have some?" Malcolm called.

"Of course." Cullen said, paying the man at the stall for four of the meat pies. After taking the first bite, Kai instantly let out a moan of satisfaction. The meat pie was savory, moist, and perfectly seasoned. The crust was light, flaky, and buttery and perfect.

"This is _soooo_ good!" Kai said through her mouthful of pie.

Cullen chuckled as he found a patch of grass for the four of them to sit and eat their pies. As they finished their lunch Malcolm had gone into another tirade of questions about the future with Kai. "Where did you live?"

"I lived in the Presidium Ring, a space station that orbited Thedas. It was where the Spectre headquarters were along with the Citadel Council who represented each race of Thedas. It was also where many diplomats and dignitaries congregated for monthly assemblies. Not to mention a major tourist attraction." Kai said.

" _You lived where?"_ Caleb signed, obviously confused.

Kai let out short giggle, "Not on Thedas. The Presidium Ring was beyond the sky, in the stars almost."

" _Did you see the Maker and his Bride?"_ Caleb signed with wide amber eyes.

"What? No! But I will admit that the view was breathtaking. At first…it eventually got old for me and lost its charm. It also didn't help that being a Spectre agent made me forget to enjoy the small things in life."

"What's a Spectre?" Malcolm asked.

"Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. It's a separate branch from all the militaries of Thedas, and overseen by the Council. It's ranked by the most skilled soldiers who are capable of taking on certain kinds of tasks that the other militaries could not do. And I am the first human to get in."

"I'm assuming you had prior training before that?" Cullen asked this time.

"I did. Growing up under military watch that's all they taught me. To fight. In the Academy was no difference, during the day I studied with my peers and in the evenings I trained with the same peers. I also went on missions and so on." she looked at her father and brothers who seemed captivated by her tale, though her father looked more like he pitied her. She shrugged her shoulders. "At the time I didn't think any of it was abnormal."

"Well, life on the farm will pale in comparison, I'm sure." Cullen said.

"Less fighting for my life, I'm sure." Kai said, smiling at her brothers who only gave her cheeky grins.

The four of them resumed on their way through the village, Cullen had given Kai a small purse of coin for her and the boys to spend on themselves while he finished up with the shopping. As the boys lead her around by the hand, Kai forced herself not to think about the Redcliff she knew and separate her past from the present. It was surprisingly easy enough to do when she had two boys to keep an eye on and so many stalls full of unusual things. Kai actually stopped at a stall by the harbor where a dwarven merchant was selling books, picking one up and flipping through the pages to get a glimpse of what was written. She was caught up in talking with the merchant that she didn't see her brothers wander off. After making a purchase on a book she turned to find them gone and panic sunk into her stomach.

"Malcolm? Caleb?" she called, looking around. "Oh man, this is bad. I knew I should've put trackers on those two."

Just as Kai got started in her search for her brothers it ended with her finding them rather quickly in the square underneath the statue. They weren't hurt; much to Kai's relief, and what was more was that they were with a familiar face. Jogging up the short distance she watched as her brother's faces lit up at the sight of her, both holding a candied apple with most of the sugar coating nibbled off.

"There you are! Maker, you both gave me a mild heart attack disappearing like that!" Kai said, checking them both for injuries.

A chuckle came from the stranger who had accompanied her brothers as he turned and gave Kai his friendly smile. "This is a different side of you, Kai, it's actually quite cute."

"Frith, you wily little elf! Luring little boys away with sugar of all things!" Kai said, giving his arm a playful punch. Frith just laughed before they both bumped fists. "I completely forgot that you were here."

"Well gee, makes a guy feel special knowing he's been so easily forgotten." Frith joked, "But you look well. Family life seems to agree with you."

Kai looked down when Caleb pulled at her sleeves and held up his candied apple (mostly apple now) to her. He signed that Frith bought it for them. Kai took the apple on the stick and bit into the sweet fruit before handing it back to him. It was obvious that Caleb wasn't going to finish the apple after polishing off the sugar coating.

"So where are the others?" Kai asked through her mouthful of apple.

"Oh, they're around. I'm sure Fivor is in the tavern again flirting with the girls. Vick is inside the outpost, emailing back and forth with the other outposts. Apparently whatever we found in Highever has been putting the analysis department on edge. Cha'na hasn't been messaging you about this?"

"No, this is the first I'm hearing of it." Kai said, crossing her arms. "But then again I haven't really been checking my messages lately, been a little distracted, y'know?"

"Pfft! Sounds about right. Cha'na's been cursing up a storm about your lack of response these past few weeks." Frith said, "Since you're here why not come down to the lab and take a quick look at what the boys in research have uncovered with those files?"

 _Seriously?_ "Maybe next time. I'm here with my family and we're not staying long, just a short shopping trip before heading back." Kai said, not wanting to go into the compound beneath Redcliff, already fighting back the dark memories. "Let me catch up on my messages from Cha'na and I'll get back to you."

Frith just shrugged, "Sure, not like they're making much headway. I guess the files were too corrupted or something and they need to scrub it or whatever. It's all computer jargon that I don't understand."

"You and me both."

"Y'know, there's someone here at the outpost who says he knows you." Frith said, "Claims he was here during the raid with you in 20:04 before the nuke blasted the place. He's been rather annoying about it all, too. Bragging how he was one of four who survived and that you were a broken mess when they got you out."

Kai felt a spike of irritation and clenched her jaw. It couldn't have been Jameson, he died right in front of her during her escape from the future. Kadyn maybe? From what she remembered the little computer geek had no backbone. Which left one person: Ray.

"Let them chatter away, I don't really care right now." Kai said.

Frith shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Suit yourself."

"Sissy, look! That stall is selling swords!" Malcolm said, pointing across the street excitedly. "Can we look?"

"Sure, go ahead." Kai said. Malcolm sprinted off ahead, followed closely by Caleb (who gave his apple on a stick to Kai). Kai passed the apple off to Frith before walking in her brothers' wake.

"We'll be in touch, Kai!" Frith called and Kai just waved over her shoulder without looking back.

Kai and her brothers enjoyed a few hours of sight seeing, buying a wooden sword and shield for Malcolm and a bow and arrow set for Caleb. Kai had bought a cotton shirt in a robin egg blue and a pair of dark grey leggings for a cheap price (cheap in terms that everything in the future was outrageously expensive). She had been surprised that she could buy so much for so little. Her father having given her a few sovereigns and a handful of silver and copper coins. One sovereign, four silvers, and eight coppers later, Kai marveled at the possibility of buying whatever she wanted and not what she needed. It was something she never did.

Well, not entirely true, she did buy a pair of handguns because she wanted them but Maker! Were they ever expensive!

Eventually the three of them did meet up with their father who was finishing up with the shopping. Cullen smiled happily at the sight of them while hauling a bag of feed on one shoulder.

"Did you three enjoy yourselves?" Cullen asked, walking back to where he parked their wagon.

"Look what Sissy bought us!" Malcolm said as he and his brother held up their new toys to show their father.

"A fine buy." Cullen said with an indulgent grin. "And what did your sister buy for herself?"

"Boring clothes." Malcolm said.

Kai faked a hurt look as she put a hand to her heart as if she had been struck by his words. "How mean! I like boring clothes."

They all laughed, easily forgetting that Kai had only recently been reunited with them for only a few weeks. It felt so natural to joke with each other and laugh together.

"Cullen!" called a jolly looking man who was plump and round and had flour smudged on his face and shirt.

"Fred, how have you been?" Cullen greeted with a grin as he approached the other man with Kai and the boys right at his heel. They shook hands firmly.

"Did ya swap for a younger wife while I wasn't lookin'?" Fred asked, looking at Kai.

Cullen laughed and put his free arm around Kai's shoulders. "No, Fred, this is my daughter, Kailah."

Fred's brows lifted and his brown eyes widened with surprise. "Daughter?! Andraste's knickers! You never mentioned having a daughter, Cullen! And the spittin' image of yer wife!"

"Which is exactly why I don't talk about her much, I have no intention of letting her be stolen away by an unworthy man." Cullen joked, though it made Kai blush a rosy pink. How embarrassing! It was the same cheesy line in those stupid romcom movies she hated so much.

"Bah! You're as over protective as always, Cullen!" Fred gave a deep belly laugh. After buying a bag of flour they moved on to the next few stalls, buying a bag of oats for the horses. Kai carried the flour and oats with no problem, much to Cullen's concern thinking they might be too heavy for her. Kai reassured that she was stronger than she looked. Cullen stopped at the smithy's, chatting with the blacksmith.

While Cullen was catching up with the blacksmith, Kai was looking at the knife collection on the table, obviously for practical use such as for cutting food in the kitchen. She set down the oats at her feet and picked one up, testing its weight in her hand and the balance, twirling it with ease.

"You're pretty good with a knife." came a voice. Kai looked up and saw a boy standing in front of her on the other side of the table. He was around her age, possibly a little older, with sandy blonde hair and green eyes. He had golden tanned skin underneath the layer of soot and he had a rather fit frame, obviously from working in the smithy. It also didn't go unnoticed that he was kinda cute.

Kai set the knife back down on the table. "Yeah, helps pass the time." she said.

"You're Cullen's daughter, I hear. My name is Patrick, my father is the village smith." he said, giving her a charming smile. "If you need anything I'm sure we can make it here for you."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Kai said.

"Let's head home, kids." Cullen said. Kai gave Patrick a quick goodbye before picking up the oats and following after Cullen and her brothers back to their wagon. On the way back she heard Malcolm give a gasp and trotted over to where an elderly man sat with his Mabari and a crate in front of them filled with a litter of mabari puppies. Kai followed, having never seen puppies in real life and they were just so painfully adorable that she couldn't help but fawn over them. Cullen came up beside them and looked down at the puppies as well.

"Hmm, a mabari hound on the farm might be helpful in keeping the predators away from the animals." Cullen said, "Should we take one home with us?"

"Aww, only one?" Malcolm whined, looking up at his father.

Kai and Caleb also looked up at him and suddenly felt the compelling power of his children's emploring eyes, asking him silently for more than one. With a defeated sigh he gave into their united plea. Cullen found that he was taken aback by Kai's bright smile with dimples creasing in her cheeks like Marian's.

"Really?! Today?" she asked excitedly. Cullen gave her nod, grinning himself as he watched all three of his children excitedly bent over the crate of puppies. Kai reach her hand in, letting the pups sniff her curiously. Each puppy climbed on top of one another, vying for her attention until a black mabari with white paws lunged forward and bit her hand. Kai was startled as she yanked her hand out of the crate, seeing that the little bugger had drawn blood. She could hear Cullen stifling a laugh behind her.

"Cheeky little fellow, isn't he?" Cullen said.

It's been awhile since anyone was able to catch Kai off guard and drawn blood like that little one did as she glared down at it. The puppy wiggled his butt excitedly, his tongue hanging out as his jowls pulled back as if laughing at her. She reached back in and picked him up.

"This one." she decided, bringing the pup close to her face. "You are the first to draw blood; I like you already." The puppy barked and licked her nose. Malcolm picked a tan puppy with a dark muzzle and dark paws while Caleb picked a grey puppy with speckles of blue-grey spots. Cullen paid the elderly man for the puppies and then they all headed back to their wagon.

"Well, I didn't expect to bring a dog home today, let alone three." Cullen said as he loaded the wagon while the boys climbed into the front with their new puppies.

Kai couldn't stop smiling as she went around the wagon to climb on but stopped when something whizzed by her ear and stuck itself into the side of the wagon. Kai saw it, a black dart. Her mabari had given a short bark in alarm. She recognized it, it was made of black carbon steel and it had a message wrapped around it. She looked in the direction it came from, not able to see past the buildings and gate, which meant it had come from a distance beyond her sight. She glanced back at her family, seeing that no one had saw (just her own mabari she was carrying) before grabbing the dart and wrenching it from the wood and hiding the dart in her waistband she unraveled the message, giving her a location and time and at the bottom corner it read: By the Authority of the Citadel Council.

Fuck.

This was bad. _Very bad_. The Council was now involved. Or were they? More than likely had their arm twisted by Trinity in order to send a team of Spectres after her. Can she take on a squadron of Spectres by herself? It's been awhile since she did any "serious" fighting that required for her to not hold back. Not since the Blitz War. Should she tell her parents? Maybe ask for their help?

No. She couldn't risk them getting hurt or worse.

Maybe go back into Redcliff and Frith and the others? That was an option, nothing in the message said to come alone, just a time and location.

"We better hurry home, looks like rain is coming." Cullen said, snapping Kai out of her reverie. She quickly pocketed the note and climbed into the wagon. She'll have to call Cha'na and inform him, and then call Frith and the others in Redcliff for back up. She looked up at the sky, the once open blue expanse was now over cast by grey clouds that looked swollen with precipitation. As the wagon began to move Kai started to feel anxious to get home. She had a lot to prepare for and had very little time. "Have you thought of any names yet?"

As Malcolm chattered away and Caleb occasionally signing his thoughts on the day Kai was mentally preparing herself until her mabari whined, obviously sensing her anxiety. She looked down at his dark face, seeing his black eyes focused on her and a clunky paw on her wrist as if he were trying to reassure her. Kai couldn't help but smile and scratch behind his ears, seeing that the puppy approved of the action.

"What will you name your mabari, Sissy?" Malcolm asked.

"I've never owned a pet before so I don't really know what the protocol is." Kai said.

Cullen laughed lightly, "You just need to pick a name that suits him."

The puppy barked, his tongue hanging out of the corner of his short snout as his big black eyes looked at her. A name. What sort of name would suit this creature that bit her and drew blood? He would need a good name. Black with white paws, like a part of him was already hidden in the shadows and his feet the only thing the enemy will see in the dark. He was calmer than the other two puppies they got and after a few barks from him the other two quieted almost immediately. A born leader. How fitting.

"I'll name him Alpha." Kai said, "Ouch!" she jerked her hand up when Alpha bit her fingers, his little teeth like needles. "You little…"

"A good name. A mabari needs to have a strong name." Cullen said, reaching over and scratching the pup behind the ears. "Especially with this small pack we now have. It'll be good to have dogs again."

"Again?" Kai inquired.

"Yes, we used to have another mabari but he was very old and died of natural causes. Marian was terribly broken up about his death; I believe that was the same year Caleb was born." Cullen said.

"So how exactly do you take care of a dog?" Kai asked.

"Don't mabaris exist in the future?" Malcolm asked.

"They do but they're bred and controlled by the military, so owning one as a pet was illegal. They're one of the few hundred species that survived the last mass extinction from the nuclear winter."

Cullen sighed and shook his head, "Maker, what events will shape such an outcome?"

Kai just shrugged her shoulders. "Being in the co-op we were conditioned to not question our superiors' orders, I guess that goes the same with the rest of the military branches under Trinity's influence."

"But you're free now."

Kai could feel the cold steel in her waistband, reminding her that she may have broken her leash but she was far from being free of her collar. "Yeah," she said, her voice tight. "I suppose so."

When they returned home it had already begun to rain and Cullen told Kai and the boys to go inside while he unloaded the wagon with the help of the farmhands. Upon entering the house with her brothers and their new mabaris, they were greeted by warmth and the smell of freshly baked bread.

"Mum! We brought home puppies!" Malcolm said excitedly as he and Caleb ran through the house with their mabaris. Marian was in the living room, having been reading a book that she set aside.

"Well, clearly you guys bought more than anticipated." Marian said, smiling happily at the puppies and her children. "What are their names?"

Malcolm made a pouty face. "I wanted to name mine Shadow."

"And why didn't you name your mabari Shadow?" Marian asked, looking at her oldest son who then looked rather woefully at his sister.

"They apparently only listen to me because Alpha listens to me." Kai said.

Marian instantly understood. "I see. It would appear that the other two recognize their alpha of the pack. So they will only listen to their master."

"I kinda figured which is why I named them Beta and Omega." Kai said, which made her brothers' faces scrunch up with displeasure. Kai would have found it funny had she not more pressing issues on her mind. "I'll be in my room if you need me for anything." she said before going to her room.

Kai deposited Alpha on her bed before swiping up her phone from the bedside table, turning it on and when the screen finally woke up she immediately saw that she indeed had missed quite a few texts, calls, and emails. _Fuck. This is gonna take more than a minute._

She scrolled through her texts and calls first, almost all of them were from Cha'na, while a few were from Fredrick and Fivor checking in on her. She sent back a quick message to those two, letting them know she was all right and then went to her desk where she kept her holosphere to open her email. Maker there were so many of them, most were nothing , just Cha'na being himself, colding her for being so negligent and ungrateful and so on. The real emails had included attachments of what had been decoded from the files she retrieved from Highever. They were indeed interesting and informative until she got to the fourth email attachment and read up further on what had been going on in Highever.

Her eyes went wide.

"Oh…my…Maker." Kai muttered before she grabbed her phone and immediately dialed Cha'na's number. The elf answered after the second ring.

" _It's about time you ungrateful little brat."_ came Cha'na's annoyed, clipped voice.

Kai rolled her eyes, "I'm loving this pillow talk already. Say more sexy nothings to me." she said, unable to resist teasing the elf even though she had more urgent things to discuss. Mainly the message she got today leaving Redcliff.

" _I'm going to assume that you've read my emails and their attachments."_ he said, obviously irritated.

Kai switched to being serious at that. "I did, that's quite the deciphering team you've got in Weisshaupt. And as fascinating and horrifying as the experiments that had been going on in Highever I do have an urgent problem that I need you to know about."

" _More urgent than unethical experimentations?"_

"Yeah…" Kai said, worrying her bottom lip before going into what happened earlier today as she was leaving Redcliff with her family after their shopping excursion. Telling him about the dart and the message that had been attached to it. Cha'na went quiet on his end of the line. "The message said tonight. I have no idea how many there are or what types of fire power they'll have. I can't put my family in danger, Cha'na."

Cha'na remained silent still though she knew he was thinking as she could just barely make out his soft, even breathing. _"I'll alert Fivor and the others in the Redcliff outpost. They should be able meet you within the next hour. May the Creators show you their favor."_

He hung up and Kai slowly lowered her phone down to her side, standing quietly in her room. Alpha made a small whining sound, getting her attention as she turned around to look at the puppy. Kai sat down on her bed and Alpha immediately climbed onto her lap and licked her hand in a rather soothing manner, as if sensing her distress. She scratched behind his ear, making the puppy's back leg shake, cluing her in that she had hit a sweet spot. She smiled at him though she still felt anxious. After a few minutes of relative quiet her phone began to buzz, startling Alpha but the puppy didn't bark.

Kai picked up her phone and saw that she received a text from Fivor, telling her that he and a team were preparing to meet her at the farm. She texted back immediately, instructing him to meet have him and the team meet her near the coordinates she texted to him. The last thing she needed was to worry her family with a team of soldiers from the future.

After dinner the boys played with their mabaris, giving them belly rubs and playing tug-o-war with an old rag. Kai sat on the couch, watching them while she absently petted Alpha who laid comfortably on her lap. Her thoughts far away as she mentally prepared herself. Depending on how many Spectres that had been sent she had to consider how to go about it. She'll have to fight smart. Then there was Fivor and this team he assembled to meet her…they'd be killed for sure. Spectres only became Spectres because they were not only the best at what they do, they were also efficient. They were all killers with an impressive record. She couldn't risk their lives like that.

 _I'm gonna have to give it maximum effort._ she thought with dry sarcasm. She checked her phone, Fivor had just sent her a message that they were halfway to the agreed upon location. She texted back that she will meet them when everyone is asleep. He replied that he understood.

Malcolm and Caleb insisted on hearing more about the future, asking their big sister to tell them a story about one of her missions. She indulged them, telling them about her time when she was under cover and had joined a theater group while she waited for a known criminal to show up. She told them how she rehearsed with the other actors and dancers, and how she had to learn to sing and dance. Singing to them the ballad that she had to learn until they both drifted off to sleep with their mabaris snoozing away right next to them.

Kai had quietly gone to her room with Alpha, where she continued to mentally preparing herself for what was to come as she sorted through her weapons. She had changed quietly into her better fitting suit and armor and securing her gear belt and weapons on her person. Her dual blades on her back and her gear belt full of everything she may need. After assembling the guns she tucked them into the holsters on each thigh and packed away two extra magazine rounds into her boots. Shooting people wasn't really her thing, too impersonal, but she was going to need all the extra help she could get. Back-up or not.

Popping a soldier pill in her mouth, feeling it giving her the energy she needed, she pulled her hair up into a pony tail before pulling on her gloves. She then placed her retracted helmet into her right ear. She double-checked that she had everything she would need.

"Well, what do you think?" Kai whispered to Alpha who sat on her bed looking up at her with his head cocked to the side. "Do I look like I'm about to go off and kill some people?" Alpha made a small noise from the back of his throat like he was unsure. "Thanks, your confidence is reassuring."

She opened her window, seeing that the earlier trickle had turned into an outright downpour, but that wasn't going to stop her as she jumped up onto the window sill and she looked back into her room. "Be good and don't alert anyone that I'm gone, you got it?" she whispered, earning a small whine as he lowered his upper half down and resting his head between his paws. "Good boy." She closed the window before conjuring a knife into her hand and threw it to the ground, teleporting to it before she snuck off the property, avoiding being seen.

"Damn, it's a lot colder than I anticipated." she said to herself. She was beginning to feel giddy with adrenaline and numb to the cold rain.

She traveled across the field towards the edge of the forest, using her flashlight to light way so she didn't walk into a tree or get stuck in a thorn bush. After what felt like a good solid hour of trekking, she bypassed the designated meeting spot where she was supposed to meet Fivor and his team. She couldn't let them face against the Spectres. Kai at least had a much better chance. She checked the coordinates with the computer in her helmet, telling her that she was close to the meeting spot. She knew she was being stupid but despite that she continued on alone and eventually was greeted by the first two agents of the enemy, both armed with military issued FN Scar-Ls, making her two handguns look like toys.

"Friggin' finally!" Kai said with exasperation as she came to a stop. In spite of being in the thick woods the rain still managed to penetrate through and Kai was soaked to the bone. "Geez, could you mofos have picked an easier spot to meet?"

They said nothing, and Kai thought their posture seemed stiff and unnatural. She felt the hairs at the back of her neck stand up. Something about them was off. Both of them were not wearing standard Spectre uniform. In fact their uniform looked like metal. Did the Council even send them?

"Uh…anybody home?" Kai asked. She got an answer by them both raising their guns and firing away. Kai immediately ran to the side, dodging the line of fire behind the trees. A knife was suddenly embedded into the first agents shoulder, making him stagger back but never lowered his weapon. A second later Kai was suddenly on him from out of nowhere, and that was when Kai got a closer look and her brain immediately screamed: _What the fuck?!_ Wrenching the knife to the side and then cutting upwards, she back-flipped away and landed in front of him.

"Holy Maker! Are you both robots?!" Kai exclaimed. Her answer came from the second agent who spun around and fired at her. Kai pulled the first agent in front of her, using him as a shield while he flailed about from all the direct hits of the bullets burying themselves deep into his metal body.

Yup. Definitely robots. Kai confirmed from all the metallic clinking and clanging from the bullets impacting into the body she was hiding behind. When the spray of bullets ended Kai took that moment of respite to quickly pick up the gun that had been dropped and fired at the other robot, hitting him multiple times in the chest until he finally fell to the ground. Kai walked up to him, seeing it twitching with sparks sputtering out from the neck and shoulder joints. Yup. Definitely robots. Without mercy, she finished him off with another shot, this time directly through the head.

The sound of blood rushing in her ears at the pure adrenaline that pulsed through every cell of her body gave her the high she hadn't felt in nearly a year. She never really liked killing but the thrill of fighting before the kill was what got her excited. Did that make her a murdering sadist? Probably, but there was no room to have a conscience when your life was on the line. Lightning crackled through the sky, followed by thunder in its wake.

She took a few moments to investigate the agents she had killed, seeing Trinity's insignia on the chest plates, telling her that the Council were definitely not involved at all. Trinity only used them as bait to get her out here. "Shit, Trinity's stepped up their game if they're sending out robots to do their job."

She then called Fivor.

" _This is Fivor."_ came his familiar voice.

"Hey, I'm sending you my current coordinates." she replied.

" _I'm guessing you went ahead of us."_

"I ran into two of Trinity's latest pet projects. Some kind of robotic technology. I'm getting the feeling that Trinity doesn't deem me worthy enough to put in any effort. I'm a little insulted, to be honest."

" _How rude of them. You hurt?"_

"I'm fine, though I can't say the same for these so-called agents. I'm going on ahead, catch up."

" _Roger that."_

xxxxx

Cullen sat up in bed after hearing what sounded like the crack of lightning, but it was distant and more like an imitation of the thunder's echoes. Something about the night didn't feel right, much like how it felt moments before war broke out. He heard it again and this time it woke Marian as well as she sat up straight in bed.

"What's wrong?" Marian slurred, rubbing her eyes.

"I can't explain it but I have this feeling like something's wrong." Cullen said, "Am I just imagining it?"

Another crack of lightning was then closely followed by a rumbling of thunder rolling across the sky, and like before, Cullen heard the distant cracking in its wake.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

"Yeah, what do you think it is? A high dragon?" Marian asked.

"Maker, I hope not." Cullen said. There then came a scratching at their bedroom door and whimpers from one of the puppies on the other side. Getting out of bed Cullen crossed the space to the door and opened it, immediately Alpha began barking and circling around his feet and nipping at his ankles. "What is it, boy? Why aren't you with Kailah?" Alpha barked again and scampered out towards Kai's room.

Cullen followed and looked into Kai's room. A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the room, illuminating the empty bed and Cullen's blood ran cold as he sharply turned back to his room.

"She's gone!" he hissed, entering their room and opening his trunk, quickly pulling out his clothes to put on.

"What?!" Marian threw the covers off and flew out the room to see for herself. She returned just as quickly, holding Kai's nearly empty duffel bag in her hands. Her panicked expression matched Cullen's as they both realized the strange sound had to do with Kai somehow. As if a fire had been lit under their feet the both of them dressed quickly, putting on their leathers and chainmail from their days of battles past.

Cullen strapped on his sword while Marian grabbed her staff from the back of their closet. Never did they think they would ever use them again, but they didn't know what was ahead of them where Kai was involved.

"What about the children?" Marian asked when suddenly their attention was drawn to the window as they saw the unmistakable eruption of a bomb going off. Marian gasped, covering her mouth with her hand in shock.

"Stay here with the children!" Cullen said as he bolted out the door, his feet pounding on the wood as he flew down the stairs.

"No!" Marian said, following after him with her staff strapped to her back. Cullen was about to tell her to turn back when she cut him off. "I'm going with you and that's that!"

xxxxx

Kai slung the gun from one of the robots over her shoulder and took the other gun before finding her flashlight on the ground and continued on. Now that she knew the enemy had not sent Spectre agents, she was feeling a little more confident in her odds. As she walked she unknowingly snagged on a tripwire, triggering a hidden trap as her right foot was taken out from under her and she was then hanging upside down. The two guns she took fell off her shoulders and clattered to the ground while a dozen more mecha-soldiers dropped down from the trees with their guns pointed directly at her. Red target lights aimed at vital organs.

One approached her and hit her directly in the stomach with the butt of its gun, the force making her swing back as she let out a painful gasp. When she swung back it hit her again and then twice more. As she hung there she gave a laugh as she looked around in the dark at them.

"Is that all you got?" she asked, and as she swung forward again the mecha-soldier who hit her before prepared to hit her again with more force, only for Kai to catch the gun. She pulled it close and kicked its metal head with her left leg, the force spinning the head around before it dropped. Kai then kicked off from it, whipping around and kicking the other mecha-soldier behind her and knocked it off balance as she was propelled to the next one; hooking her left leg around its upper torso and grabbing hold of its helmet and with a forceful twist, instantly jammed the gears. Using its weight, she swung around and threw it at the second mecha-soldier she had kicked earlier.

Another rushed up to her and she grabbed it by the arms, flipping herself right up onto its shoulders while pushing its arms over its head and firing its gun at the others that still stood. They were firing back but at her but clearly weren't programmed or built for this terrain and weather as their movements were stiff at best and tripping on tree roots. Kai used it to her advantage, throwing the mecha-soldier she had used and drew her own gun and fired at the soldiers in view, hitting them in the heads and chest. Kai grabbed her right leg to hold her body up parallel to the ground as she spun around and shot the remaining soldiers.

Then all was quiet as she made a full circle one more time.

Tucking her gun away she reached up and pulled the release latch and she dropped to the soggy ground, winded from the impact. It took a few seconds before she rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself back up onto her feet, a surge of pain radiating from her right ankle. She heard the groaning of gears from one of the soldiers she had shot and letting the assassin in her take the wheel she walked up to it, drew out her gun again and shot it between the eyes.

"Trinity's definitely losing their touch."

She checked all the bodies, looking for clues as to how they might be getting back to the Red Age, if they even had a way back that is. Going to the fourth body she heard a light beeping noise coming from underneath the breastplate. Unlatching the armor she pulled it back to see a bomb had been set off and the timer was ten seconds away from detonating. She sprung up and sprinted as fast as she could away from the bomb, quickly activating her suit's shield right as the timer hit zero and went off. The explosion was big and powerful, the force of it so strong it lifted her up and threw her as everything within fifty yards was leveled.

Buried under debris, Kai struggled to pull herself out from beneath the heavy debris. Her helmet screen flashed a warning that she had obtained critical damage to the suit and her person before the screen went black. She cursed under her breath as she lamely pulled off her helmet and took in a breath of cold air. Her body was stiff and aching from her violent landing but at the very least she was alive. Her ears were ringing, an after effect of the close proximity of the blast as she wiggled and crawled out from under the broken tree limbs she had been buried under. Finally free she rolled onto her back to give herself a moment's rest. Rain continued to fall, the coldness of it cooling her face. She cringed and looked at her left shoulder, seeing a splintered branch sticking out from between the plates of her armor. With her other hand she reached to grab it but paused when she took notice that her third and fourth fingers were bent the wrong way.

She took in a breath before correcting her fingers, snapping them back into place. She let out a gasp, giving herself another minute before she reached for the branch again. With force she pulled it out, letting out a scream of pain as it gave resistance, but it came out. Dropping the bloodied wood she reached into a pouch in her belt and pulled out her pill dispenser, bringing it to her mouth she popped two soldier pills and let it fill her with adrenalin and dopamine. She put the dispenser back into her pouch and got up, the adrenalin rush kicking in, shutting out her pain receptors as she sat up.

"Hawke!"

" _Hawke!"_

She didn't hear her name being called in the rain, her ears still ringing from the explosion but were slowly subsiding as her body's inhuman healing abilities kicked in. She supposed that was one of the better perks from Trinity's experiments.

"Hawke!"

A beam of light hit her face, forcing her to wince away from the light and hold up a hand to shield her eyes.

"Over here! I found her!" shouted a male voice before someone dropped down onto their knees beside her. "Hawke! You all right? What happened?"

"Give me a few minutes, the blast did a number on me." she said as she sagged a little in relief.

"Is she okay?"

"The fuck happened out here?"

"Can one of you check my left shoulder? See it the wound closed up yet." Kai asked.

Frith, who had found her first, flashed his light on her injury, seeing nothing but a hole in her suit and some blood that was washing away in the rain, but no wound. "You're fine, it's closed up."

"Awesome," Kai said, climbing up to her feet. Her hand went out onto Frith's shoulder to steady herself.

"You're still injured." Victor said, "You need first aid."

"What I _need_ is to find the rest of those automaton bastards that Trinity gifted us this fine stormy night." Kai said, removing her hand from Frith as she found her balance. "Now that you're here…who's all here?"

"Right, we've brought Annie and Bruce. Bruce is our medic and Annie is a combat mage." Fivor said.

"All right, so how far off course are we?" Kai asked.

"Not far, we just need to keep moving west for another two miles." Frith said.

"Great. Let's get going." Kai said.

"Wait, what happened to your helmet?" Frith asked.

xxxxx

It had to be another hour before the pre-dawn light would soon lighten the sky, which meant that Kai's been out at least five hours. Arriving at the first clearing she's seen all night, she immediately noticed the trunks that had been brought through the wormhole, sitting quietly with the latches undone. It was brightly lit with the fluorescent lights that had been put up in the trees, almost as if setting the stage for the final battle. She and her team remained outside the perimeter, staying in the shadows as she scanned the area. She saw they had set up a single tent where most likely they had also put their computers as she took note of the cameras up in the trees. But why would robots need computers?

She needed to investigate, make sure there weren't any others present. She turned back to her team to sort out a quick plan but found that they had vanished. _Oh shit._ she thought, looking back out into the camp site where she saw her teammates, tied up and unconscious. _Shit!_

She grabbed one of her knives from inside her boot and stuck it into the ground at her feet. "Maximum effort."

She carefully stepped into the camp, each step she took was thought out as she listened for any movement aside from her own. Her senses were already on hyper alert after nearly escaping the bomb that had been set off. It may have left her a bit concussed and beat up and she still had a ringing in her ears but that was the least of her worries, because now she had to face what she still hoped wasn't a Spectre agent.

Of course that hope was flickered out fast. They had moved with such stealth that not even Kai picked up on it, and they had gotten the drop on her team. Whoever they were, she was sure that they were going to be a challenge compared to the mecha-soldiers. Her ankle still ached and gave her a slight limp and her left arm felt slightly numb, but the pain could be ignored. Looking around and moving further towards the center of the camp she didn't see or hear anyone. Where were they? Above? Below? Where?

"Come out, come out…wherever you are." she said in a low voice.

As if on cue she nearly missed hearing the trigger release of a spring trap and saw two silver blades spinning at high speed towards her from the corner of her eye. She jumped and twisted her body around in mid-air; and as she slipped through between the blades she had thrown a conjured knife in the direction of where the blades came out from, not seeing if it hit their target or not. The blades embedded themselves into a tree behind her somewhere as she landed on her feet in a crouch. She looked up in time to see a black disk slide up in front of her with a little red dot flashing rapidly.

"Ah slag..." Kai had no time to move out of harm's way, only able to simply cross her arms up to protect her face from the blast. It wasn't a strong bomb, but it was strong enough to throw her across the clearing. Her back collided painfully against the trunk of a tree and dropped hard onto the earth, the armor on her arms and legs were smoldering from the heat of the blast.

She struggled to stay conscious as white lights flashed in front of her eyes and the ringing in her ears grew louder. Her skin felt hot underneath her suit but could feel little else, unsure if anything was broken but forced herself to roll onto her front, grunting as she stiffly pushed up onto her elbows as her brain scrambled to remember how to move her legs when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and thrown towards the middle of camp. She landed hard on the ground, a pained wheeze passed through her lips as a sharp pain went through her left side, telling her she had broken a rib or two from the blast. The familiar metallic tang was in her mouth and she could feel the warm liquid spilling past her lips.

"So this is the Phantom? The Monster of Malapa. You're nothing special to look at." came a voice that Kai could barely hear through the ringing and the sound of her blood rushing to her head. The squishing of mud and gravel grinding together alerted her that he was walking towards her and was grabbed by the front of her armor and pulled up to her unsteady legs before a punch to the face knocked her back. Blood immediately gushed from her nose as she stumbled over her own feet, her brain still scrambled from the blast as her back slammed up against a tree, keeping her from falling as she struggled for control of her limbs. Kai spat out blood that had collected in her mouth and glared at the agent, her vision still unfocused but able to see enough that he was just a little blurry. Her vision was even more impaired as blood kept getting in her eyes from a cut above her right eyebrow.

She spat more blood to the floor and wiped the blood from her nose and brow, knowing they had already stopped bleeding at this point.

"I'm rather disappointed in you, Hawke. I had hoped you would be a challenge; live up to your reputation in our organization. Not only that but you also teamed up with the rejects of Trinity."

Kai remained silent, letting him talk as she felt herself slowly recovering. She avoided looking at her team, tapping into her inner assassin and remaining focused on the man in front of her.

"I'm impressed, however, that you were able to destroy the magitek soldiers so easily and then survive the bomb I planted in one of them. They were useless to begin with, if you ask me; I was told they were prototypes created by that madwoman Hattie. Such a shame I'll have to finish the job myself. Oh right, you probably don't remember me, my name is—"

"Zane." Kai said, "Yeah…the chatty one."

"I'm so flattered you remember me," he said, his helmet tilting to the side. "In HQ you acted like you could care less to learn the names of your fellow peers. I should probably be giddy that the infamous Phantom knows who I am. How you got such a nick name is beyond me, though. You're just one person who bleeds like the rest of us."

 _Keep talking_ , she thought, feeling her head beginning to clear. _Keep it up._

"Silas was always singing your praises to the other senior Spectres, talking about how you were on the path to becoming the best of our generation. I'll admit you were impressive, to be so young and talented to enter the ranks of the Spectres as you did. Having a success rate of ninety-seven percent, hardly any casualties—makes me wonder what happened in the three percent. Looks like I'm seeing that three percent right now, besting you tonight as I did." he said, "And with the oldest trick in the book!" She saw him draw his weapon, a giant maul that had been strapped to his back. "I'm actually glad you're tough enough to survive _two_ bombs because killing you with my own hands will be so much sweeter."

Despite the pain coursing through her body, Kai felt her second wind to fight back as she pushed off from the tree to stand on her own, drawing her own daggers from over her shoulders. Her left arm was still a little numb and her fingers of her left hand were cold and her left shoulder still ached. She braced her feet as Zane swung his maul, bringing it down in an arch. Kai parried lightly with her daggers as she stepped to the side to avoid the impact as the head of his weapon slammed down into the ground. He lifted the heavy weapon with what looked like little effort as he swung it from side to side in upward arcs, the amount of speed and control he had was impressive. Dodging was all Kai could do as she studied his movements, thinking up a way to counterattack. It also didn't help that the rain kept falling into her face and making the ground soft and slippery.

In the back of her head she kept thinking about keeping her distance from the others as much as possible.

Bracing her feet she crossed her daggers, catching his swing. The force behind the swing sent a tremor up her arms, making her wrists ache. Pushing back it was Kai's turn to be on the offensive as she stepped forward and swung her blades at him. Zane was forced to step back but he was just as skilled as she was and Kai's offense didn't last long as he thrust his maul at her. Kai slid up the shaft of the maul and swung her dagger for his neck, but Zane pulled back, avoiding the tip of her blade by a hair's width. Kai followed through with another swing, this time actually connecting by hitting him in the front of his helmet with the butt of her dagger, cracking the visor.

Zane staggered back a few steps but recovered quickly. It was nothing but touch-and-go as their weapons continued to collide. They were equally matched but Zane could see that Kai was quickly losing steam as her injuries and fatigue caught up with her. It was just a matter of time to wearing her out.

She stepped back the wrong way on her sprained ankle and it made Kai wince as pain shot up her right leg and that sliver of an opening was enough room for Zane to quickly manipulate the course of his maul and slam it into her side. Kai barely blocked the bulk of the blow with her left arm as a shield to her ribs and was sent flying to her right. She hit the ground but rolled onto her feet and threw a knife at Zane who dodged it easily as he charged up at her with his maul raised over his head. As it came down Kai flickered out of sight. Stunned, he lifted his maul and looked around, wondering where she could have vanished off to. He tapped the side of his helmet, turning on the thermal vision. It flickered for a second but the crack in the visor had damaged it, rendering it useless for all other functions.

Kai remained hidden within the brush, pulling up the knife she had planted earlier before the fight. Her left arm was in agony, alerting her that the bones are broken in more than one place which meant it was going to take a lot longer to heal but she couldn't quit now. She still had her right arm and both legs. Popping three more soldier pills Kai stood up and threw the knife at Zane's back, hitting her mark as he let out a howl of pain. She threw another knife past him, hitting the tree on the other end before focusing her mind and flickering to the knife in the tree.

"Over here!" she called, getting Zane's attention. When he turned around she threw another knife, hitting his left thigh. He let out another cry, a hand immediately pulling the knife out while Kai threw another into the next tree. She continued this pattern, hit Zane then tree then flicker to tree and hit Zane again until Zane was on his knees with knife wounds all over his body, bleeding his life away slowly. The knives had all vanished, having served their purpose as the tattoos on Kai's right arm were warm beneath her suit. She limped up to him though she was fully aware that he could still overpower her at the last second but at this point she knew the fight was over.

"Phantom…" she heard him say softly. "I see now."

Kai stopped in front of him and yanked his helmet off and saw his face. He was disfigured from an old burn, his entire head disfigured as he looked up at her with beetle black eyes. He was gasping for air, making it obvious that he had not been given an anti-toxin before arriving. She understood that feeling of unable to breathe, but she had no room in her heart to feel empathy.

" _Deimeika gonot_

 _graun laik pauda_

' _So ona trikova_

 _ba ha na kik raun riskiwe_

 _Ban owe na soujon?_

 _Wei daun kom memen_

 _Kom houd bilaik pri stedaun_

 _Soncha kik thru, noda raz_

 _Osleya gon youz,"_

Zane was speaking between gasps of breath, indicating that one or more of Kai's knives had punctured or nicked his lungs. He was speaking in the coded language that had been developed after the second nuclear war as a way to send messages without the enemy being able to decode it. It had no alphabet, no written language. It was all learned phonetically. It was also taught as an elective course in the Academy and mandatory to know in the military. What Zane was saying wasn't a prayer, but close enough for someone like them to recite. It was clear he couldn't catch his breath anymore.

So Kai finished it for him:

 _Gonplei ste odon_

 _Wor ge win au_

 _Souda drop 'so leda klin_

 _Hed dropon daun, teik emo in_

 _Stedaun souda kik raun tiya_

 _Sheid won daun, sheid emo daun_

 _Ge shoun op kom pyones_

 _Soncha kik thru, noda raz_

 _Osleya gon rouz_

' _So groun op kon'cho drein au_

As Kai finished the last lines she had walked around to stand behind Zane. She twirled the knife in her palm and then slit his throat in one swift motion. _"Ash to ash and bone to brawn."_ His eyes widened before relaxing, his blood spilling freely down his front and Kai watched as his body slumped forward into the mud. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she felt her strength drain out of her and let the knife slip out of her hand, vanishing into thin air. The dull ache in her body had turned into a full blown white hot pain. She hissed and gripped her left arm; still broken. The ringing in her ears only got louder and her head was spinning from blood loss as her adrenalin quickly depleted.

Kai dropped to her knees, her strength now completely gone as the cold seeped in. She glanced over to her team, her vision blurry but could barely make out that they were awake and scrambling to free themselves.

At least they were safe.

Then everything went black.

* * *

 **AN:** The so-called "prayer" I used that Zane and Kai recited is actually from "The 100" and here is the translation for the "Champion in Red" anthem:  
The sun was gone  
The earth was dust  
We were cast in shadow  
But how to live inside the dark  
With nowhere else to go?  
Haunted by the memory  
Of a world that's all but dead  
A light breaks though, another dawn  
A champion in red  
The fight is over  
The war is won  
We must she our skin  
Mourn the fallen, hear their loss  
The dead must live within  
Dishonor one, dishonor all  
In virtue we are led  
A light breaks through, another dawn  
A champion in red  
We grow from what we've bled  
Ash to ash and bone to brawn


	9. Chapter 8 - Family Was Just An F Word

Chapter Eight - Family Was Just An F Word

Marian poured fresh water into a basin and grabbed fresh cloth after tossing the dirty ones into a bucket that she will have to clean later. She was exhausted and her mana spent from healing Kai's wounds. After she and Cullen had found her at the camp, where a disfigured body laid with many knife wounds throughout its body, (though the cause of death was from a slit throat) they had been met with four armed soldiers wearing armor that looked most curious. They took up arms when the two of them approached, ready to protect an unconscious Kai. The people who were with Kai said they were friends of hers, telling Marian and Cullen that they had been enlisted by Kai to help her with the Trinity group that had been sent to kill her. It was a miracle that Kai was even still alive, especially with the extent of her wounds and the amount of blood she must have lost.

Three broken ribs and two cracked ones. The ligaments and muscles in her left shoulder had been torn from an injury she could only guess was linked to the shattered bones of her left arm. Bruised internal organs. Right cheekbone had a hairline fracture that spider-veined up to her right orbital rim. Deep soft tissue damage and small cuts on her skin and extensive bruising from head to toe. What boggled Marian was how quickly all these serious injuries healed when she applied her healing magic, absorbing her mana like a sponge. Marian liked to think of herself as a decent healer but her abilities were a far cry from a Spirit Healer like Anders and yet Kai's body responded to her magic, healing faster than anticipated. She had treated the more serious of injuries at the camp before she felt comfortable enough to move Kai's body back to the farm.

She wiped away another tear, still rattled by it all. They almost lost her when they barely even began to know her. Carver had been right when he said that Kai was special in a way that words can never describe. But Marian couldn't stop from blaming herself. For having fallen so comfortable with her peaceful life that she had been blinded to the signs of incoming danger. But how could she had known? There was still so much her daughter was hiding about the life she had escaped from. And she blamed herself for not getting to Kai sooner, thinking how she could have prevented Kai from getting so badly wounded. But she was also very proud…proud to know that she was so very strong.

It was already midday and the worst of Kai's wounds had been mostly healed; the rest would have to heal on their own. A part of her, the motherly part of her, wanted to cry, for what reason, she wasn't all that sure, perhaps it was from relief? Anger? She had so many emotions running through her it was daunting. Anger, joy, worry, pride…they all swirled within her, making it hard to sort out. She wondered if her husband was feeling the same.

"Mother, is sissy sick?" Malcolm asked. Marian turned around, almost knocking the water basin over.

"No, sweetheart," she said, going to her son and affectionately stroking his curly black hair. "But she needs to rest."

"Did she get into trouble?" Malcolm asked, looking up at her with his amber eyes. The corner of her mouth ticked slightly before she gave him a soft smile. She found it endearing how her sons accepted Kai as their big sister, especially Caleb who clung to her like a monkey. Without Kai awake to help interpret his singing, Marian was helpless to really understand what her youngest was saying or asking her. More than likely about his sister. She felt guilty for already relying so much on Kai when it came to looking after Caleb, who knew how to temper his frustrations due to his handicap.

"She was but it's over now." she said, "So let your big sister recover, I promise you she will be back to normal." Malcolm nodded but Marian knew that he wasn't satisfied with her answer. All morning she had been dodging their questions while she and Cullen rushed in and out of Kai's room, their hands and clothes stained with blood. Two of Kai's companions had returned to Redcliff, stating they had to submit a report of the incident. To whom, they did not say. The other two had remained at the enemy camp; again Marian had no idea what for. Gather intel? Look for clues? Loot whatever treasure was there?

Taking the water basin and clean cloths, Marian returned to Kai's room to finish washing off the dried blood and mud that was caked on Kai. It wasn't until the afternoon when Marian felt satisfied that Kai was at last clean enough and had changed her into a clean nightgown.

Cullen had to pry her away from Kai's bedside to go eat and then get some rest herself by the end of the day. He understood her worry and fear but knew that the rest was in the Maker's hand. It had been a stressful day inside the Rutherford house while the world outside continued on in ignorance. It was just a lucky thing that they had reliable farmhands and attendees to look after not only the stables and small crop fields but also the recovering Templars.

Cullen had to set his jaw whenever he entered Kai's room, and seeing her in such a state: it broke his heart. His daughter had just been returned to them and last night she almost left them. That night after putting the boys to bed, he laid awake in his own bed with Marian curled up at his side. Staring out of their window at the inky blackness, he prayed to Andraste and the Maker to show his family mercy by not taking Kai from them.

xxxxx

Cullen awoke shortly after dawn, the sound of whining and scratching against the door being the source of his awakening. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked to his side to see his wife still fast asleep, obviously still drained from using up her mana yesterday. Getting out of bed he yawned widely and pulled on his tunic before shuffling his feet towards the door where the scratching and whining persisted. Alpha, Beta and Omega looked up at him before Beta grabbed the hem of his trousers and pulled aggressively with a growl. Alpha scampered ahead while Omega joined in with Beta, grabbing the other pant leg of Cullen's trousers.

"What is it?" Cullen asked tiredly before his brain remembered the events yesterday and snapped to alert as he stepped over the puppies and quickly looked inside Kai's room. A sudden rush of panic bloomed in his chest and his heartbeat quickened until it all came to a screeching halt. On the floor of the room were Malcolm and Caleb, curled up together with their pillows and blankets, fast asleep. He felt an ache in his heart to see them there, and felt guilty for keeping them away when they, too, were worried about their sister. Looking at Kai he saw that she was still in bed, lying with her eyes closed, pale and still. Panic began to creep up on him again as he hurriedly stepped closer to her side while carefully tiptoeing over the boys. His fingers fluttering to her neck to feel for her pulse, pressing into the soft flesh and was immediately startled when Kai's hand flew up and gripped his wrist in a vice grip, surprising a gasp out of him. Her grip was strong but when he looked to her face her eyes were still closed and her pulse beneath his fingers was still slow and steady. He passed her impulsive grab as instinct, despite the fact that she remained asleep.

"Thank the Maker," he said weakly as he dropped to his knees, relief taking over him as he unlatched her hand from his wrist. He felt Alpha pawing at his leg and he looked down at the puppy with a weak smile before reaching down and picking him up. "I never thanked you, did I? If not for you we might have been too late."

Alpha licked Cullen's chin before he was placed on the bed beside Kai and given an affectionate scratch behind the ears. "Keep vigilance over your mistress, that is your sacred duty." As if understanding him Alpha moved to curl up at Kai's shoulder, his muzzle at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Cullen looked behind him to see Beta and Omega curled up to Malcolm and Caleb, already knowing their roles. Quietly, Cullen rose to his feet and stepped out of the room, leaving the boys where they are.

Later that morning when the farm was fully awake and the house filled with noise of life, Kai awoke. She was alive, to say the least, feeling every inch of her body screaming in agony. Repercussions of her "extra curricular activities," making her somewhat regret being so reckless but it was worth it in the end. The crazy part though, was that she wasn't in the woods anymore. She was staring up at the familiar wooden ceiling of her bedroom, but she didn't recall the smell of fish being a part of it. Looking to her left she was immediately assaulted by a wet tongue that lapped at her face excitedly and partially up her nose. With a groan, she reached up and pushed the puppy's face away from hers but then felt a weight dip onto her mattress and was greeted by bright amber eyes and curly honey hair and creamy golden skin.

Caleb.

She focused her eyes on the boy's face, seeing that his fingers were moving and saying something to her but she could barely focus past the deafening ring in her ears. It was like her ears were full of cotton that muffled the sound. Shit…the last explosion must have busted her eardrums, or it could have been the concussion she got. Either way, her hearing was shot (not that it mattered with Caleb since he couldn't speak). She watched as Caleb ran out of the room and not a minute later everyone came flooding in through the door. Marian being the first as she held her face in her warm hands, crying over her. Kai reached up and touched her mother's hands on her face and could see that everyone was talking at once but all she got was muffled sounds.

Kai opened her mouth, her tongue dry and her lips cracked and bruised. She felt herself talking, but she couldn't even hear her own voice but she was sure she was speaking when she saw Marian's eyes widen in shock. Kai was positive that she was heard, that she told them she couldn't hear them. Immediately Kai felt warmth penetrate her skull, weaving into her ear canals, feeling the familiar, gentle magic of healing being released from Marian's motherly touch. The feeling was soothing as whatever pressure was inside her ears was released and she began to hear the echoing of her own heartbeat in her ears. The ringing subsiding and then gone. She watched Marian's lips move, her gentle voice first soft and distant and then slowly the volume was turned up back to normal.

"How is that?" she heard, "Is that better?"

"Yeah…that's better." Kai replied, hearing her hoarse voice. "How did I get here?"

"Alpha woke us up, alerting us that something was wrong. Then we saw the explosion in the woods and knew you were there." Marian said, right before rapping her knuckles on Kai's bruised head. "You had us worried sick!" she scolded.

"Ow! I'm sorry!" Kai said, trying to sit up but her body was just too stiff and sore and her left arm in searing pain.

"Love, the scolding can wait until she's better." Cullen said with a smile, pulling Marian away and allowing the boys to crowd the bedside.

"No! By then I won't be so angry!" Marian huffed.

" _Sissy, are you okay?"_ Caleb signed, his worry warming Kai's heart as she smiled at him.

"I'm fine." she replied.

"What happened?" Malcolm asked.

"Some bad people found me and I had to get rid of them, that's all." Kai said, attempting to sit up again but the burning in her muscles told her to stop trying.

"Did you win?" Malcolm asked.

She gave them her best smile and ruffled Malcolm's hair with her right hand. "Of course I won. I'm the best fighter in Thedas."

" _If you're the best then why do you look so terrible?"_ Caleb asked.

"I didn't say it was easy." Kai countered.

"All right, boys, give your sister her space to recuperate." Cullen said, herding the boys out with protest. Marian sat down on the edge of the bed, holding Kai's hand in hers.

"I know this can wait until later but I have to know: why didn't you come to us?" she asked, looking at Kai's hand instead of looking in her eyes.

"Trinity sent them." Kai said softly, "They must have control of the Spectres now, too. The one leading them, he was a Spectre I knew. Albeit, he was nowhere near my level. They had sent me a message the other day when we were just leaving Redcliff. I couldn't chance it by involving you and father, especially when I didn't know what to expect."

Marian let out a sigh and nodded. It was something that she would have done in Kai's place. In fact, it had been what she had done when she was Kai's age. "I'm just grateful that you're alive and safe." she said, smiling at Kai before flicking her forehead with a finger, making the girl flinch in surprise. "But I never want you to do something so reckless again. You hear me?" Kai's surprised look softened into a smile as she nodded her head. "Good, now stay in bed. I'll bring you something to eat and when you're better you're going to tell us everything."

After Marian left Kai just laid on her back, laughing quietly to herself before sobering up and thinking about Trinity. The machines she destroyed and Zane; they were just the first of many more to come. Was it a good idea to stay here? With a family who had no part in this war across time? Is it selfish of her to want to stay? To be with the family she had been taken from? To live a life away from all the fighting? In her heart that was what she wanted but in her head she knew it would only jeopardize their safety. She will need to speak to Cha'na as soon as she is able.

Staying in bed for the one day was more than Kai could tolerate as she bit her bottom lip raw and rolled her ass out of bed. She couldn't bother trying to put on pants and simply settled for wearing a long robe and shuffled out of her room, inch by inch. She was definitely in a sorry state, the battle had definitely brought to light that her sharp edge had been blunted these past few weeks.

"Sissy!" Malcolm said in surprise. "Are you okay?"

"I just need to be moving around." she said, her voice still gravelly.

"But mother said you need to rest."

Kai smiled at him and continued to shuffle down the hall towards the living room. The rain had finally let up and Kai couldn't help but think about getting back to the camp, she needed to search through those trunks that had been brought with Zane. Kai groaned and cringed as she literally dropped onto the couch like a dead body.

"Do you need anything?" Malcolm asked, almost bashfully. It was cute.

"You're sweet to ask but I'll be all right." Kai said, trying to get comfortable. It dawned on her too late that she had pain killers in her duffel back in her bedroom. File that information later for data usage.

Caleb came into view and in his excitement ran across the room from the front door and threw himself onto Kai. The teen let out a whimper in pain but let the boy settle at her side while Alpha and his pack yipped and struggled to climb up onto the couch before happily settling on her lap.

" _Sissy, are you feeling better?"_ Caleb signed.

"Far from it." Kai grumbled, but gave the boy an affectionate pat on the head.

xxxxx

Marian woke up the boys, getting them ready for the day while Cullen got breakfast ready. It was the morning routine for them; rising with the sun, cleaning up and dressing, kiss each other good morning, wake the boys and get breakfast ready. Now with Kai, Marian also had to fit waking the teenager in the morning routine, she just hadn't decided yet if it was easier waking her up first or the boys. Of course Marian couldn't talk, she relied on her husband to wake her up in the mornings as well, otherwise she'd sleep in until noon. She had decided to give her daughter a bit more time to sleep as he headed downstairs, finding Cullen at the stove, cooking a pan of eggs for the family.

She saw that he had set aside a bowl of porridge for Kai with fresh berries already garnished on top of the grayish stewed oats and barley. Maria went up behind him, placing her hands on his broad back and kissing the soft spot behind his ear. Cullen turned his head, capturing her lips with a kiss of his own.

"That's for Kailah." he said, nodding to the bowl.

"I'll take it up to her." Marian said, taking the bowl and placing it on a tray. She added a glass of chilled milk and grabbed the sugar bowl as well, knowing Kai would enjoy something to sweeten her meal. Malcolm and Caleb took their seats at the tables just as Marian picked up the tray for Kai and walked back upstairs.

Marian nearly dropped the tray of porridge she was bringing in for Kai when she saw the aforementioned teenager up and about in her bedroom, already half-way dressed with her leggings halfway up her legs and her linen shirt hanging limp around her neck. It was a funny sight to walk in on, especially when it was obvious that Kai's left arm was still healing and useless. Aside from that Marian was already scolding her daughter to get back into bed as she set the tray down on the desk.

Kai just gave her a carefree chuckle as Marian set the tray down on the desk and helped Kai get dressed. Marian was exasperated by how carefree and reckless her daughter seemed to be and couldn't help but relate more to her poor mother, now knowing what she felt all those years ago when Marian was young and reckless herself.

"Sit down, love, so I can check your wounds." Marian said.

"They're all healed up, trust me." Kai said, though her stiff movements and lame left arm said otherwise.

"Just let me check for my own peace of mind, girl." Marian said and Kai flashed her a smile (a very familiar smile that mirrored her own) as she consented to the request. "How does your arm feel?"

"Like it had just been pounded into minced meat, but I can tell it's getting better. In another day it should be close to normal." Kai said, "I think Zane's maul had enchanted runes which is preventing my wounds from healing faster."

Marian shook her head, still astonished by how quickly Kai had healed without the use of healing magic or potions. She recalled Kai telling her and Cullen about the experiments done to her, and how rapid healing was a result of those experiments, she just had no idea just how quickly the wounds healed.

 _For a better soldier who can keep fighting even when critically injured._ That's what she had said.

Marian lifted the linen shirt up Kai's back, seeing nothing but smooth, pale skin. Not a scratch or bruise left from the night before. Even the swelling around her ribs had subsided, a telling sign that they were healed up. Lowering the shirt down Marian had Kai turn around to face her as she took her left hand in both of her hands and focused her mana, feeling out the remnants of the injury. Marian wasn't a healer, but she knew the basics of healing and could sense that Kai's arm still had remnants of foreign magic lingering in the soft tissue. There was nothing more that she could do, leaving it up to time to heal the rest of her wounds. Satisfied that nothing more was needed Marian smiled at Kai, reaching up and tucking a loose lock of black hair behind one of Kai's pierced ears.

"So, where were you planning to go this morning?" Marian asked.

"Out." Kai replied. Marian resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Maker, it was like talking to her younger self.

"Out where?"

"Outside."

"Are you implying that you plan on returning to the place where your father and I found you half-dead?" Marian asked, having already known what Kai was planning on doing. She would never have the tact and finesse that her own mother had, but she did pick up a few tricks.

Kai just flashed her that cheeky grin she inherited from her. "You caught me. But I won't be alone; Fivor messaged me that he and the others are already there, digging through the stuff that was left behind."

"Andraste's tits, you're as bad as I was at your age, maybe a little worse. And that's saying something because I was quite terrible according to my mother." Marian said, though she was smirking. "All right, fine! So long as you're back by dinner."

Kai's smile brightened, showing off the dimples in her cheeks before she got up and went to her dresser for a pair of socks. Marian took the tray and left the room, returning to the kitchen downstairs.

xxxxx

As Kai came downstairs, nearly slipping on the last step in her sock-clad feet, Marian called her into the kitchen. Alpha, Beta, and Omega were all at Marian's feet, eagerly waiting for treats as the smell of fresh bread and cooked eggs reached her nose. Kai's mouth watered at the smell and she sat down at the breakfast table, a little put off that she was given a bowl of plain porridge instead of a plate of eggs and toast. But she ate it anyways, adding extra sugar to mix in with the berries and drinking her glass of milk. It was slightly annoying to only use her right hand for everything at the moment, especially for being primarily left-handed. Ambidexterity was still useful.

Marian set a large wicker basket on the table, packing it with extra food. "Take this and share it with your friends. I doubt they had anything decent to eat this morning."

"Wow, a packed basket of food from my mum. That's a first for me." Kai said with a grin, distracting their mother while Malcolm and Caleb snuck a few chunks of fluffy eggs on the floor. She heard the puppies all eagerly lapping it up into their greedy mouths.

Marian couldn't help but smile back, "Yes, I'm a far cry from my time as the Champion. But I wouldn't trade this life for anything."

Kai finished her breakfast and set the bowl into the sink before giving her mother a chaste kiss on the cheek. Slipping on her boots, she took the basket and left the house with the puppies happily trailing after her. Malcolm and Caleb were disappointed to learn that their mabaris followed their sister.

xxxxx

"Morning!" Kai greeted as she walked into the camp site, carrying the basket with her good arm while her left arm was in a sling. Marian had insisted that she not move her left arm and to let it heal and thus the sling. The puppies had excitedly ran ahead of her, with their noses to the ground and sniffing every inch of the way. Kai took note of the heap of metal on one side of the clearing, able to see that the mecha-soldiers had been dismembered.

Fivor and Annie greeted her first, both having been moving the metal trunks to a cart.

"Whoa! What you got there?" Fivor asked, eyeing the basket. Kai handed it over to him and he peeked inside, his eyes going round with delight. "Did you seriously bring us breakfast?"

"My mother (still felt strange to say out loud) thought you guys would be hungry. She also sends her thanks for helping me." Kai said.

"Yo! Hawke brought us breakfast!" Fivor called. As if those were the magic words the rest of the gang came out from the lone tent, setting up the trunks in a way for them to sit on instead of the wet ground. There were five extra faces she didn't recognize. Fivor grinned at her, knowing what she must have been thinking. "They're with us. They want to stop Trinity as much as we do."

"How are you healing up?" Frith asked before biting off a piece of buttered bread.

"I'm mostly back to normal, my left arm needs a little more time though." Kai said, subconsciously rubbing her sore arm. It still hurt with a throbbing ache that her pain killers had dulled out but with her heightened metabolism she was in need of another dose.

"Yeah, that guy shattered it to pieces with his maul." said Bruce.

"Really? Hadn't noticed." Kai said sarcastically, taking her arm out of the sling. She winced a little as she tried to stretch it out.

"Hey hey!" Fivor exclaimed, stopping Kai and gently putting her arm back into the sling. "You should seriously take it easy."

"Yeah, just because you can heal ridiculously fast doesn't mean you should really test it. It's only been two days." Bruce said, "Wait here, I'll get my medical kit."

Kai rolled her eyes, "Fine. So what did you guys find?" she asked, settling her left arm back into the sling more comfortably.

"Those robots are new." Victor said, "The engineering is different, and the plates used for the body have spells engraved into them."

"Guess that explains why Zane called them _magitek_." Kai said, "But it was clear that night that they weren't finished models. Most likely prototypes because they were losing function in the rain and were unable to adapt to the uneven terrain."

"I took out their motherboards, at least the ones that weren't too badly damaged." Frith said, "It's obvious they were gathering information and intended to be returned to the future. Unfortunately the explosion fried all of them so whatever info they had is gone now."

Kai then recalled another detail Zane had revealed to her that night and reached for her phone in her boot. She quickly dialed for Cha'na who picked up after the second ring.

" _You're alive. Good."_ Cha'na answered.

"I'm like a cockroach that way." Kai replied dryly. "I'm putting you on speaker. Listen, I know who built these bots. It was Hattie."

" _Are you certain?"_

"Yeah, the Spectre they sent was Zane, an elf I knew vaguely. He said Hattie built them and was trying them out. He also seemed to have been expecting me. I think Trinity is able to track my location in the future somehow." There was silence in the camp and on the other line.

" _That changes things. I will have to devise a new strategy for us and get in touch with our allies in the Free Marches. I will be in touch."_ Cha'na then hung up.

"Typical." Victor snorted.

Kai stuffed her phone back in her boot. "So what else did you guys find?"

"All the trunks are full of weapons and gear and rations. Not to mention the tent already has a computer system set up." Frith said.

"It's gonna be a bitch hauling all that shit back to Redcliff." Fivor said.

"Leave it at my parent's farm; there are several barns that aren't being used. We can store the trunks there for now." Kai suggested, "Plus no one on the farm will really ask questions. Most are Templars who are just too far gone from the lyrium withdrawals and the others are too busy taking care of the suffering Templars. Whereas Redcliff is full of people who have to talk about what they see that is out of the ordinary."

No one seemed to protest, mostly because Kai was right and it was easier to use her farm. Plus it was closer.

"As you say, _Heda."_ Frith said, flashing her a cheeky grin. Kai raised a quizzical brow at the elf. "Apparently that Spectre had set up cameras and the recordings were saved in the computer hard drive over here. Long story short: we all saw it."

"And when he says all of us, he also means Cha'na and the First-Warden saw it, too." Victor said.

"Okay…please know that I did suffer a concussion." Kai said, knowing what they meant but still needing it to be said to confirm her suspicions.

"They're working on getting an approval from the King to allow Redcliff to have a Grey Warden outpost under the guise of having 'Grey Wardens' between Denerim and Orlais to react faster should another Blight occur." Victor explained, "In truth it will be a new base of operations for us. With a team that you trust and soldiers you can train."

"Not to mention you're a badass!" Fivor exclaimed, jumping to his feet excitedly. "The attack in Weisshaupt was just the spark that started the fire! Then there was Highever and then— _this!_ You're the best choice to lead us against Trinity!"

"Whoa! Whoa! I think we're getting ahead here!" Kai said, "I'm not even a Grey Warden."

"We're all vaccinated from the Blight, but you were part of the Malapa Project and everyone knows Trinity experimented with the virus." Victor said, "Besides, it'll be our people that will be sent to Redcliff, not actual Grey Wardens."

"I'll have to talk to Cha-Cha and Fred about it later and then think on it." Kai said.

"Whatever you need, _Heda."_ Frith said.

As the hours passed, Kai looked through the files she had downloaded from the computer onto her holosphere. There wasn't a lot to sort through in terms of the bigger picture; it just appeared that this was meant to be an isolated incident to test out the magitek. If that was the case then why did Zane seemed to have been expecting her? Was there something she wasn't seeing?

Frith was right next to her in the tent, scrolling through the same files but working past the encryptions in the hard drive of the computer itself. His nimble fingers flew over the keyboard as he typed away, erasing old codes and replacing them with new ones and fighting the aggressive firewall. Though despite the focused precision the elf seemed to have on his work, his mind kept wandering back to that night.

Frith will never forget the image of Kai, standing over Zane. The image of how she got the upper hand, flashing back and forth in the camp, her knives materializing out of thin air and imbedding themselves into Zane. Her final act of mercy by reciting a prayer with her enemy before she slit his throat. Those images will forever be with him.

It was easy to forget that Kai was more than just a young, fresh-faced girl. That she was actually a lot older but due to some magical time traveling circumstance, she was a kid again. But he got a glimpse of what Kai must have been like in the future. She was the leader their rabble group of scattered rebels needed. And he would follow her willingly into battle. Be of use to her in any way he can. He recalled the conversation he had with Cha'na the other night, retelling the accounts of what happened and telling him that he was right to believe Kai could be the Commander they needed. No. Not could. She _is_ the Commander they needed. She has the experience, the strength, the focus. In his mind she was already his Commander. His _Heda._

"Hey," Kai said, snapping a finger in front of Frith's face. "We're heading out now."

Frith blinked and shook his head. "Right, I'm with you, _Heda."_

The computers were the last to be packed away and loaded onto the cart.

"So I gotta ask, is speaking fluently in Trigedasleng a requirement in the Spectre organization?" Frith asked, looking at Kai who was sitting in the cart seat with her three mabaris huddled in a heap in her lap.

"You were in Trinity's military, what do you think?" Kai countered, smirking at the elf.

"Yeah, but nobody actually used it." Frith said.

"It was used frequently during the Blitz War, especially between Spectre agents who were working incognito. I admit that for awhile the common tongue and Trigedasleng became interchangeable during those years." Kai said, "Why do you ask?"

"I had heard you chanting a prayer with Zane before you killed him." Frith said, "And I'm kinda embarrassed to say that I didn't understand a word of it."

Kai gave him a wane smile, falling silent for a moment before reciting the translated verses to him:

 _The sun was gone_

 _The earth was dust_

 _We were cast in shadow_

 _But how to live inside the dark_

 _With nowhere else to go?_

 _Haunted by the memory_

 _Of a world that's all but dead_

 _A light breaks through, another dawn_

 _A Champion in red_

 _The fight is over_

 _The war is won_

 _We must shed our skin_

 _Mourn the fallen, bear their loss_

 _The dead must live within_

 _Dishonor on, dishonor all_

 _In virtue we are led_

 _A light breaks through, another dawn_

 _A Champion in red_

 _We grow from what we've bled_

 _Ash to ash and bone to brawn_

xxxxx

It took very little convincing on Kai's part to have her parents allow her and her "friends" use one of the empty barn houses as storage for the trunks from the camp. In fact, her parents seemed relieved that she was even asking them for a favor. In turn, as a show of trust, Kai told her parents everything that she didn't tell them in the first place. It had been a long night for the Rutherford family in regards of what Kai had revealed. Cullen couldn't help but think this was the Inquisition all over again, building from the ground up, but this time under the people's noses. It was dishonest, but he also saw the reason why for the subterfuge.

Kai promised to not get them or her brothers involved, but her parents had made it clear that they didn't want her to be put in danger. They eventually came to a middle ground where Kai would tell them whenever she had to be involved in something potentially dangerous; and that she would tell them when she was going to be away for long periods of time (despite Cullen and Marian still being against it as parents should).

The weeks that followed the attack, Kai was determined to not be taken by surprise again. It had been agreed that moving the trunks to Redcliff was too much of a hassle and since it was mostly weapons the trunks stayed in the barn. Though with Cullen's help, the two of them turned the barn into a project, renovating it and bonding as father and daughter and had patched up the holes and reroofed the roof. Frith, Fivor and Victor had pitched in, bringing tools with them to upgrade the renovations and stabilize the barn's structure from the inside out. They even went as far as turning the second floor into an armory while the first floor was turned into a mini gym.

Marian joked how maybe she and Cullen should also store their old equipment from their fighting days in their personal armory. Of course the joke was on her because that's exactly what they ended up doing. Cullen even stored his old armor from his days as a Templar and as Commander of the Inquisition in the barn, glad to finally pull it out from storage to be admired and reminded of what they had fought for years ago. Kai was rather proud of their handiwork, having never put hammer to nail before and found it rather satisfying.

Then autumn transitioned into winter.

Marian stood at the window from the front room, holding a steaming mug of tea as she watched her boys playing in the first snow of the season with their big sister. Throwing balls of snow at each other, and it didn't go unnoticed by the former Champion how Kai allowed the boys to dominate their game and letting the snowballs hit her. Marian smiled at the sight, her chest warm and full knowing her family was whole. Her children all accounted for. Taking a careful sip of her tea Marian continued to watch her three children, while aware of the approaching man behind her, joining her side to look out the window. She leaned into her husband as he put a warm arm around her waist.

"Only a few months and the boys treat her like she has been here all their lives." Cullen said, the happiness in his voice almost palpable. They watched their children a while longer, chuckling when both the boys tackled their sister into the snow. "Strange how it feels like she's been with us all this time and not in the far future like she mentioned."

"Maker knows we can now make up for lost time." Maria said happily. "We'll finally celebrate our first Satinalia with our whole family."

xxxxx

Later that day Kai held council with Cha'na and Fredrick inside the renovated barn, working out the details about setting up a new Grey Warden base in Redcliff. Kai pointed out that they didn't need to make her an honorary Warden-Commander, asking they just assign an actual Senior Warden to the area instead; who would then report to the Warden-Commander stationed in Vigil's Keep. Kai suggested her uncle Carver, since he was already informed of their "situation," and wouldn't require all the secrecy with him in charge of the region. Next came the formal request to King Alistair and Arl Teagan of Redcliff. Thanks to already having a few agents of their own in Vigil's Keep, the request was received within a day to the King while Victor delivered the same request to the Arl by hand. The replies came within the week.

It came as no surprise that King Alistair was in favor of it while the Arl had been reluctant to agree but was going to allow it. Little did either party know that their people had long since established the base beneath Redcliff. By mid-Haring the Wardens were moved into a small compound inside Redcliff, led by Carver Hawke. Carver had been informed before returning to Fereldon, having been in Orlais for a time and he was more than happy to accept the position. Maker knew he was tired of all the travelling and wanted to settle down in one place, and to be offered to be near his family was an extra bonus.

Carver's return would be just in time to celebrate Kai's fifteenth Nameday, an event he knew his sister wanted him to be a part of. It would be the first celebration of Kai's Nameday, since she had been taken shortly after birth. Carver had even bought his niece a gift while he was in Orlais (with Marie's help); a decorative hairpin that had three pearls set on one end. What caught his attention was the other end, finely formed prongs that were sharp like needles and thought it would suit Kailah. Pretty but deadly.

When Marian heard that Carver will be the Senior Warden assigned to Redcliff she couldn't have been any happier and relieved. Already having ordered her little brother to come by the house every week for a family dinner. He had barely settled in Redcliff when Marian and her family came to visit, his nephews already bigger from when he last saw them months ago. He wasn't surprised that his sister and her husband were fully aware of the circumstances, though he doubted that they knew that Kailah was the one running the show. In the past Carver would have been insulted to follow orders from someone younger than him, but now he was just proud. He saw a lot of his sister in Kailah, the natural born leader ran strong in her veins.

Carver was more than happy to play the stand-in leader for the outside to see while Kailah and her crew worked out of sight.

xxxxx

Kai didn't expect the morning to start off the way it did, with paper confetti thrown at her right as she entered the kitchen and greeted by her family: "Happy Name Day!" She didn't expect it. She had forgotten it was the day of her birth.

She forgot.

Again.

It had always been her friends who remembered for her, especially Mimi who went out of her way to bring them together to celebrate each of their Name Days. And she appreciated the effort. They all had. But this time was different. This time it was going to be celebrated with her parents and siblings. With her family.

It was no longer just an F word.

But the celebration felt a little hollow without her friends.

Nonetheless, a smile brightened her face as she hugged each member of her family around the table. Thanking them for remembering.

Breakfast was more like a feast, as they all sat at the table to eat together. Everyone gave her gifts: her mother gave her a set of very sleek throwing knives; the steel was light in her hand and perfectly balanced. Her father gave her several volumes of books on military tactics and one about dragonology. Caleb had drawn a family portrait (though a little crude) that was very well done and colored with paint that was still a little damp. Malcom had made her a woven bracelet made from scrap leather and cloth of yellow, red and green. And Carver and Marie had given her the hairpin from Orlais. She thanked them all for the gifts, explaining that she never received such thoughtful gifts before.

"So how did you celebrate your Nameday in the future? And with who?" Marian asked.

Kai shrugged her shoulders, "Normally my friend Mimi would be the one to remember. She never forgot her friend's Nameday, not since I've known her. She always arranged it, not caring if we were busy or not. Once, she dragged our friends to Seharan to meet me while I was on mission there. Only Mimi would ignore the fact that we were in the middle of war."

"That's quite the dedicated friend." Marie said.

"Yeah, and because Flynn and I shared the same Nameday we've always celebrated it together." Kai said, feeling a little down that her best friend and Nameday partner wasn't with her.

"I'm sure you will have the chance again." Marian reassured.

Kai smiled, "Yeah, I really hope so."

As the morning progressed, Kai received a few messages on her phone wishing her a happy Nameday. The first message coming from Fredrick, the next message was from Frith who sent a photo of him, Fivor and Victor holding up a small banner wishing her a happy Nameday. She played in the snow with her brothers and their mabaris until their fingers were red and raw from the cold and their clothes dripping wet. It had been the most fun she's ever had on her Nameday.

With it being the first day of the new year, Kai felt like it was the start of a new life.


	10. Chapter 9 - Vigil's Keep

Chapter Nine – Vigil's Keep

Kai arrived at Vigil's Keep with Frith, Fivor and Victor. The hour was late and the braziers were alit in the wall sconces. They crossed through the open gate where two guards stood, their armor of silverite reflecting the flickering light of the flames, giving it a red-orange tint. They were not stopped by the guards as they entered the courtyard of Vigil's Keep.

"Not much of a reception." Frith said.

"Because I asked to not make our arrival a fanfare." Kai said.

"Well shit, it really is the Monster of Malapa."

Kai stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the one person she least expected: Ray. Pushing down the surge of bloodlust and resisting the itch in her fingers to reach for her gun, Kai clenched her jaw painfully tight. **"** _ **You**_ **."**

"I'm gonna guess you two know each other?" Frith said, reading the tension as clear as day.

Ray motioned with a jerk of his head for her to follow him into what looked like a storage house. Against her better judgment, she followed him inside, finding the inside to actually be a jail cell. Empty of any prisoners. He almost looked the same as she remembered, maybe a little older but he definitely looked the way she remembered. How was that possible? Was he also an abductee like herself? Displaced from his proper era? Then again, he's an agent of Trinity. Or is he?

"The hell happened to you? Some new experiment of youth from Trinity Labs?" Ray asked, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. "You look… _younger_ than I remember."

"Long story. What about you? Last I heard you lost your shit and killed the attending medical staff while you were in the psych ward, and then Trinity put you in the reassignment program." Kai said, still keeping her guard up. It may have been a few decades for her since she last saw Ray, but she didn't know how long it had been for him.

Ray shrugged his shoulders. "It's true. So what's the story? What I missed?"

"How long have you been here?" Kai asked.

"I asked first." Ray said.

"I might be going through puberty again but I'm still an excellent shot. Or have you forgotten?" Kai said, her tone holding the edge of threat.

A muscle ticked in Ray's neck before he let out a defeated sigh. "Fine. I was sent here six months ago."

Kai blinked. "Six months?"

"How much time has passed in the future after you shot me?"

Kai hesitated to answer for a moment. "Thirty years."

"Thirty? And you look like this?! I know you're younger than me but _damn_!" He looked at her incredulously before throwing his head back and laughed. Irritated, Kai went up to him and gave his shin a hard kick with her boot. "Ouch! Bitch!" he hissed before letting out a grunt of pain when Kai threw him up against the jail bars, pinning him against the hard metal while her hands fisted the front of his chest plate.

Frith, Fivor and Victor were watching with interest, though Fivor showed signs of wondering whether they should be separating the two teenagers for their safety.

"How long after Redcliff were you sent here?" Kai asked through gritted teeth.

"A year. Turns out Trinity's reassignment program was literally dumping agents into the past with vague instructions of 'wait for your next order.'"

"So then technically you've defected from Trinity." Frith said. Kai looked over her shoulder at the elf who shrugged at her. "What? It's true, right?"

Kai turned to face Ray again. "Have you? What's your stance with Trinity, then?"

"I hold no loyalties to them, not after they abandoned me here like garbage forgotten in the slums. I even had thought of leaving Trinity all together after that shit show in Redcliff." Ray said, "And before you doubt me let me prove to you that I can be trusted. Before I was sent here I overheard some brainy scientist talking to Cor about influencing the past to advance technology enough to be able to ship resources to the future."

"Wait, you said you saw Cor there?" Kai asked, trying to wrap her head around that bit of information.

"Yeah, I know my war heroes and that was definitely _Cor the Immortal_ I saw chatting up with some lab nerds." Ray said and then noticed the look on Kai's face. It was a look he remembered sharply: betrayal. "Hey, you okay?"

"Hawke?" Fivor said, his tone gentle as he touched her arm.

Ray cleared his throat, "Look, about what happened in Redcliff…"

"Don't make me shoot you in the other leg." Kai snapped before taking a moment to collect herself, letting him go as she took two steps back and said in a calmer manner: "I know what you're gonna say and I don't need to hear it. Besides, that was an intense situation and we were all in over our heads then. Let's just go now."

"If it makes you feel any better a lot of Trinity agents have defected and are living off the grid or they stayed on board and are just feeding Trinity false information." Ray said, "However not everyone is against Trinity and are still loyal to them. Which is why Cha'na reached out to me, since I'm the newest one to arrive from the future and I'm pretty good with faces and names. I have an eidetic memory."

Kai shook her head, not at all surprised. "Fuckin' elf. I'm beginning to wonder if Trinity is the real threat or him."

"Cha'na has been here for a few decades and has had plenty of time to build his own network of informants. So it wouldn't surprise any of us, really." Victor said, "But it's best to keep that suspicion under your cap for now."

"So, what's the plan?" Ray asked.

"I need to speak with the Warden-Commander." Kai said, turning away and going to the exit.

xxxxx

Ray showed them the way to the Warden-Commander's office, knowing full well that she was up at this late hour. Ray knocked on the door.

"Enter," came a woman's voice with an Orlesian accent. Ray opened the door and stood aside, letting Kai enter. When Frith, Fivor and Victor were moving to follow, Kai turned around and slammed the door shut in their faces and there was an audible click from the lock.

"The fuck just happen?" Fivor wondered, looking at the other three who just shrugged and shook their heads.

xxxxx

"The Monster of Malapa." said the Warden-Commander, looking up from the reports on her desk.

Kai shook her head and placed her hands on her hips as she walked up to the Warden-Commander who was sitting behind her desk, dressed down for the evening in simple clothes. Her tawny hair no longer in its usual tight bun at the back of her head and her brown eyes looking at Kai with familiarity.

"I seriously hate that nickname." Kai said as she sat down in the single chair in front of the desk and propped her feet up on the fine polished wood. Taking pleasure in the disgusted look on the warden's face at the sight of the mud that caked the leather and dirtied her desk. "'Sup, Leo?"

"Hawke, it truly is good to see you again. Although…did you have work done?"

Kai gave her a smirk. "Jealous?"

Leonie Caron, the Warden-Commander of Fereldon who came from Orlais. Before that she was an employee for Trinity for their exclusive police department (glam cops is what Flynn called them) whom Kai had worked with a handful of times and had gotten to know rather well as Mimi's first wife before they divorced after barely a year of marriage. Of course Kai then lost contact with her (mostly because Mimi demanded it and Kai did not want to end up as a pile of ashes).

"Time travel does wonders for the complexion." Kai said sarcastically, "I'm sure Cha-Cha sent you my file."

"And then some." Leonie said, lacing her fingers together and then propping her chin on them as she smiled at Kai. "You look lighter, less burdened."

"Really? Because I feel the opposite. I have a lot more to lose now."

"Perhaps, but what I mean to say is that your heart is lighter. You appear less rigid."

Kai let out a snort. "I'm glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor."

"Ah, yes, tell me; how is Mimi these days?"

"I wouldn't know, she's not here." Kai said, resisting the urge to rub her right palm. A few weeks before leaving Redcliff a part of the tattoo on her right palm had reappeared, creating the sharp, hot sensation of when she originally got the tattoo. When she examined her palm an immediate feeling of hope arose within her and she called Cha'na to tell her if any wormholes had been detected anywhere in Thedas within the last hour. Cha'na confirmed that one had been detected in Denerim and would check in.

By morning Cha'na called her back, confirming Kai's suspicion. It was then that Kai insisted on going to Denerim, of which Cha'na suggested Vigil's Keep as her first stop so as to meet the others of their rebel army. She agreed, needing to make introductions anyhow and sync up communications. From the Keep she would make her way down to Denerim.

Her friend was here in this time.

She had to find them.

"Pity. Then how about after our divorce? How did that vindictive vixen fair after I was out of the picture?"

"The only way Mimi knows how, by having _a lot_ of sex with _a lot_ of people." Kai said, "I'm actually surprised she never contracted a disease."

"Were you one of those people to comfort my dear Mimi's broken heart?" Leonie asked, her voice holding a slight edge to it while keeping a falsely sweet smile on her lips. It had been no secret when she and Mimi were together that Leonie was jealous of the close relationship Mimi had with Kai. Despite the relationship being strictly platonic, Leonie saw Kai as a threat.

"I comforted Mimi but not in the way you're implying. I just made sure she stayed out of serious trouble. So tell me, Leo, how does one of the best pilots I've ever known end up in this era?"

"I was part of a flight test for one of Trinity's latest portals for faster transportation. Fool that I was they had used me and many others and I ended up here. I was one of the first dozen at the outpost in Orlais, infiltrated into the ranks of the Wardens and here I am."

"Here you are." Kai repeated, looking back at Leonie. She knew a lie when she heard it.

Leonie's smile only broadened. "You don't believe me."

Kai smiled back. "I've heard better cover stories."

Leonie threw her head back and laughed. The sound throaty and full. "You always were hard to deceive. My story for being here is quite common. I actually arrived with Cha'na and Fredrick, both of us under the impression we were doing our duties for Trinity. Of course we were quickly disillusioned and you know the rest."

"Damn, and here I was hoping you'd be a traitor to us rebels." Kai smirked as she removed her boots from the desk and stood up. "Well, let's continue our chat tomorrow after I've gotten some shut-eye."

"Of course. Goodnight, Hawke."

When Kai walked to the door and unlocked it, she was not at all surprised to see her three travelling companions still waiting in the hall for her, along with Ray. She looked pointedly at Ray.

"Well? Where're our rooms located?"

xxxxx

The next morning Kai had been shown down in the secret base beneath Vigil's Keep, old tunnels that led into the Deep Roads. The doors that locked out the darkspawn had been recently reinforced and the space had been converted. The stone walls had been smoothed to fit in pipes and electrical cords and lined with fluorescent lighting. Computers and satellite radios had been brought in and set up, there was even a medical unit where Leonie had the few medical experts she had on hand work.

With communications with Vigil's Keep now established with Redcliff it was now easier to begin linking up to the other outposts in Thedas. There were still a handful of outposts where they were aware existed but any communication with them was nonexistent. Though the one outpost Kai was interested in was in Par Vollen. Mainly in a certain Qunari from her past named Axel.

"There has to be something," Kai muttered to herself as she searched through the files. Leonie had given her permission to go through anything she desired and right now, she was going through all the active Qunari agents in Thedas, searching for any mention or hints on Axel.

Ray had found her at one of the desks, reading through multiple files. Curious he read over shoulder, seeing a bunch of names and photos of agents, none he recognized but only one stood out: Axel.

"You some kind of obsessive fan or is he your next target practice?" he asked, "Who is Axel, anyway?"

"He was a Spectre agent who went rogue and I was tasked in eliminating him." Kai said, going through spotty videos. Damn, these cameras needed an upgrade or something. Her fingers tapped away on the keyboard, trying to get a clearer picture but she was no tech expert, not even a computer expert, hell—she had trouble getting into her email at times.

"Spectre? And the Council sent you?" Ray asked, finding that laughable.

"You've missed thirty years and two world wars. After Redcliff I was inducted into the Spectre's and within a year I was a fully fledged agent. Fast forward fifteen years, Axel, one of the best agents the Spectres ever had went rogue and went under the radar. When the first Blitz War broke out in the Free Marches he resurfaced as part of a terrorist organization and I was sent to eliminate the threat."

"Sooo…then you killed him?"

Kai gave up trying to focus the video and turned to look at Ray. "I thought I did. I may not be a doctor but a chest full of bullets and a single shot between the eyes usually kills people."

"Didn't bother to cut off the head? Too gory?"

"Thought it too excessive but in hind sight perhaps I should have, because apparently he somehow survived." Kai said as she sat back in the swivel chair.

"How do you know?"

Kai pulled up Axel's file, showing his status as active and the date stamp of active duty was marked a year after the end of the Blitz War: 20:28. "I killed Axel a year before that date stamp."

"And Trinity wrote him active a year after that."

"Trinity's been playing God, and tarnishing my near perfect record. I won't let that stand."

"So what are you gonna do? Go to Par Vollen because you think some Qunari you killed is still kickin'?"

With a smirk, Kai stood up from her chair. "I've never killed a man twice before." she said before walking away. Ray watched her leave before turning back to the open files and scratched the back of his head.

"Damn, she's still a cocky brat." He looked back at the files she left open, sorting through them and closing them one by one. He was curious as to what she was really researching until he came upon a file of a familiar face. One of Kai's friends if he recalled correctly and looked at the time stamp of activity and the coordinates of the drop site. "Andraste's knickers…"

xxxxx

Kai joined her team up on the ramparts looking down into the courtyard. She let out a tired yawn, unable to sleep properly last night in the stiff bed she was given and her room had been freezing cold all night.

"Did you sleep well, _Heda?"_ Fivor asked.

"Stop calling me that." Kai said, resting her forearms on the stone railing.

"We'll stop once you're dead or replaced." Fivor said with a smirk.

"How about a bullet lodged where the sun don't shine?" Kai said, too tired to make her voice sound threatening.

"Don't provoke her; she'll follow through with it." Ray said as he walked up to them.

"We know," Frith grinned, "It's just fun for us."

"Then you're a bunch of psychos with a death wish." Ray said, stopping just behind Kai. "The Warden-Commander has tasked me with keeping you out of sight for a short while."

"What? Why?" Fivor asked.

"Kinda rude since we're guests." Frith said, _"Heda,_ do you know anything about this?"

"My best guess is that it probably has to do with them." Kai said, pointing her chin down at the gates where a procession of soldiers marched through, carrying the banner of the crown.

"Looks like we're getting a royal visit from Denerim." Victor said, then glancing at Kai who had pulled out her phone and began tapping away with her thumbs. "You were expecting them."

Kai finished her message and pressed send; looking down at the new arrivals and spotting one of the soldiers behind the king look down for a moment before raising their head to look her way. Kai smirked and gave a slight wave and in return she got a subtle, curt nod.

"Who was that?" Frith asked.

"Someone I've been waiting for." Kai replied.

xxxxx

Prince Duncan Theirin walked through the gates of Vigil's Keep, trailing behind his father who was visiting the Warden-Commander. The King of Fereldon made regular visits to the Keep at least twice a year to check on things and to also escape the drudgery of politics in Denerim. Duncan rarely came along on trips to the Keep with his father, the last time being three years ago. He would have stayed home in Denerim if he had his way, but both of his parents just had to agree in him going to Vigil's Keep this time.

Ugh!

At least he had his friend to accompany him. He looked back at his friend who had recently been appointed as his personal guard. Bjorn Mendeliir. An elf who appeared under mysterious circumstance and had fallen immediately ill to the point where the healing mages were sure he would not survive. After he recovered and was questioned by the Grey Wardens in Vigil's Keep, Bjorn was given the clear and upon the Warden-Commander's request to allow Bjorn to enlist under the King's service.

His father, with the agreement of his mother, had assigned Bjorn as his personal guard. Duncan figured it was because they were close in age and that Duncan had few friends rather than his skill as a bodyguard. But then his opinion changed when Bjorn bested him in the training yard many times over. In just a few weeks they had become good friends.

"Bjorn, are you all right? You look a bit distracted." Duncan said.

Bjorn turned his green eyes onto Duncan with his usual bored expression. "It's this armor, it's very uncomfortable and very impractical." he said, taking off the helmet to reveal his pointed pierced ears and his mint green hair where the roots of his naturally blonde hair was growing out.

Duncan recalled Bjorn's sleek armor and had to agree with the elf.

"You're right. But it's something else, isn't it?" Duncan asked.

Bjorn just smirked at him. "There's someone here I need to see. Will you come with me?"

Intrigued, Duncan nodded and followed Bjorn across the courtyard while the King continued on, almost oblivious to their absence as they climbed up a flight of steep stairs of stonework that were in much need of maintenance. At the top of the ramparts there were five Wardens (were they Grey Wardens? They were dressed in different uniform. Much in the style that was worn by Bjorn). An elf and four humans, one of which was a girl. A girl with striking blue eyes. She was also very pretty.

Then Duncan saw Bjorn's face break out into the brightest smile he had ever seen as the girl mirrored his joy.

"Ironside." the girl said.

"Phantom." Bjorn said. They just stood, looking at each other before the girl let out a high pitched laugh and ran up to Bjorn, jumping on him and wrapping her arms and legs around him. Bjorn caught her effortlessly and spun her around.

"Bjorn! I'm so relieved!"

Bjorn set the girl down, still smiling. "So your age reversed, too, eh, Kai?"

Kai laughed and took a step back, placing her hands on her hips. "You're one to talk; you elves don't age like us humans. For all I know you'll be the same age forever. Just don't grow a porn-stache like you did that one year."

Bjorn looked over at the others who had stayed back, only recognizing one face. "Well, if it isn't the jerk who abandoned his men." Bjorn said.

"Up yours, elf." Ray said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Watch yourself." Duncan said in a threatening tone, getting Kai's attention as she looked him up and down as if sizing him up.

"It's all right, Your Highness." Bjorn said, turning to face the Prince. "May I introduce to you Kailah Hawke, my long time friend? Kai, this is Prince Duncan."

"It's a pleasure, my Lady." Duncan said with nod of his head.

Kai just tilted her head to one side in consideration of Duncan and then turned to face Bjorn, ignoring Duncan completely. "We should catch up."

Bjorn just smirked, crossing his arms in front of his chest, knowing how much Duncan hated being ignored. "I agree." he said, turning to Duncan. "If it's all right with you, Duncan? I would like to catch up with my friend in private."

"Of course, come find me when you're done." Duncan said, looking at Kai one more time before turning and heading back the way they came.

Kai smirked back at Bjorn and then looked back at her team. "You're relieved for the day boys."

"As you say, _Heda."_ Frith said as he and the others turned to leave. The four of them not arguing.

Bjorn raised a brow at her. _"Heda?"_

"It's better than the Monster of Malapa. Did you know that Leo is the Warden-Commander?" Kai asked.

"I do know and trust me, it was an awkward surprise." Bjorn said, "She's still bitter about our dear friend Mimi."

Kai let out a snort. "So she knew about you this whole time but said nothing to me. I wonder what else she's withholding."

"Why don't we speak somewhere private?" Bjorn suggested.

"Yeah, let's head down into the bunker." Kai said, leading the way.

xxxxx

After finding an empty room that was being used for storage in the renovated tunnels, Bjorn began to tell Kai what happened after they were separated in the wormhole. About how after arriving to the past and injecting the serum they were given by Hattie he had blacked out.

"When I next woke up it was in a Trinity lab. I was strapped down to a table with my arms and hands bound. I don't know how long I was out or if Trinity had done something to me. I just knew that I had to escape." Bjorn said.

"And how did you do that?" Kai asked.

"I dislocated my left thumb to free my hand so I can undo my restraints; from there I figured the doors wouldn't be a smart way of escape so I went through the air ducts. I looked for our friends and for you. I had found Javan but Trinity scientists were already taking him away to another location. I tried to follow them but my way was blocked. I then found my way to the armory and figured I would impersonate as a guard and try to sneak out. Of course you know how Trinity facilities go; it was like walking through a maze. I overheard some scientists talking about a portal and that it was ready to send a new wave of soldiers through so I followed them."

"And how did you get to the past without getting caught?" Kai asked.

Bjorn gave her a rueful smile. "I did get caught. But those scientists and the few guards posted were no match for me. I killed them and reset the coordinates in the portal to this time with hopes that you were still here."

"And no one followed you?"

"I had placed a timed bomb to their computers that went off seconds after I escaped through the portal. I'm fairly confident no one followed me from that particular lab."

"Well fuck; if I didn't know you myself I'd say that story was bullshit. Even Flynn would comment how unrealistic it was and he writes those stupid comics." Kai said, "And you're sure the agents here didn't find anything unusual when they checked you?"

"As far as I know, but if I turn out to be a sleeper agent then you have my permission to do what you must."

"I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Me, too."

Kai gave him a smile. "Believe me; I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. However it does bring to light that we were pawns from the very beginning. Hattie gave us that serum claiming it would counteract any illness we would get but what it really did was drug you guys to knock you out."

"Kai, did you not take the serum?" Bjorn asked.

"I never got the chance to; it broke when I landed in the Anderfels." It was Kai's turn to tell Bjorn about what happened to her after falling out of the wormhole. About her time in Weisshaupt and meeting her uncle. About learning of the rebels who defected from Trinity after being sent to the past and then forgotten. About her discovery in Highever that Trinity's horrific experiments continued. And then about reuniting with her family and establishing the outpost in Redcliff and the attack from Trinity just a few miles outside her parents' farm.

"There's also another thing I have to tell you," Kai said, "Cor may have been working as a double agent for Trinity."

Bjorn frowned. "Any proof?"

"No, it's just a suspicion right now. Ray had mentioned he saw Cor talking to one of Trinity's scientist before he was sent to the past."

"Hmm…well it's something to keep in mind once we know a little more."

"My thoughts exactly." Kai said, "So does your prince know anything? About you being from the future and all?"

Bjorn shook his head, "No, as far as he's concerns he thinks I'm a runaway slave." he said with a frown, "I don't care much for this era, it lacks a certain degree of pollution, not to mention the dirt poor here get by better than the impoverished people living in the slums in our time."

"True, but I like it here. My parents and brothers are here. I can actually have a life that it my own instead of being just another soldier."

That comment concerned Bjorn but he didn't let it show. "I can understand the appeal. I've practically taken a bath everyday since I've been here."

A toothy grin spread across Kai's face. "I know, right? It's the best feeling in the world! Might not be fast like an enzyme cleanse but it feels great."

They talked for a while longer, mostly about the perks of being in the past and they individual experiences. Bjorn told her about the blacksmith in the market in Denerim and how he was shown how weapons and armors were forged. Kai told him about the farm her parents owned and how she swears the hens all hate her, pecking at her fingers and feet whenever it was her turn to feed them.

"I've been meaning to ask Leo but I got sidetracked, is there an active compound in Denerim?" Kai asked.

"There is, and it's huge. Bigger than here." Bjorn confirmed, "It actually reminds me of the Trinity base in the Western Approach because of all the research labs they have there."

"Have you seen anything suspicious?"

"No, but let's just say that I'm not allowed on certain floors."

Kai crossed her arms under her small breasts and furrowed her brow in thought. "Then I'll have to send word to Denerim that I'm going to be making a stop there."

"Well, you are their _Heda."_ Bjron said with a smirk.

Kai let out a groan, "Not you, too."

"Let's go back up; I've been itching for a good fight. None of the King's men have the skill to keep up with me."

xxxxx

Bjorn had to remove the heavy armor, dressing down to a pair of pants and t-shirt made of neoprene and spandex, and a pair of sturdy boots with rubber soles (all in black and of course provided by Kai who raided the lockers). He stretched, happy to wear the flexible clothes of his time.

"Is it weird that I miss the smell of exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke?" Bjorn asked.

"Not at all." Kai said, having removed her own armor and wearing a similar attire as Bjorn (though her shirt was a navy blue tank top, showing off her, albeit scrawny but toned arms). "I definitely miss the faster, more comfortable transportation. Don't get me wrong, horses are great and all but its murder on the lower back and hips."

"You always were the one for that fast life." Bjorn said, grabbing his sheathed sword and strapping it to his hip.

"Says the celebrity who threw wild parties every other week." Kai said, stretching her arms and hamstring. "Easy, standard or hard?"

"Unlike you I did not remain a soldier after the Academy so let's start off standard." Bjorn said.

"You're no fun, Bjorn." Kai said, cracking her knuckles while Bjorn took his stance with one hand on the sheath, tilting it forward while his right hand hovered over the hilt.

Duncan stood off on the sidelines, leaning against the wood fencing around the fight arena where the knights and Wardens would practice their skill on one another. It didn't require any hype to gather a crowd as it formed on its own around the ring.

"Oooh, looks like _Heda's_ gonna test out that elf."

" _That's_ her? I thought she'd be, I don't know, older maybe?"

"Dude, don't you know who she is? In 20:29 she's famous! Hawke was the Spectre who took down the rogue terrorist in the first Blitz War!"

Duncan found the whispers interesting and perplexing. Blitz War? 20:29? Spectre? Was he hearing correctly? Probably not, as his tutors often chastised him for never paying attention to all the important details. He knew Bjorn hadn't been telling him the complete truth about himself, but then again, Duncan had also been told by his father not to pry too much in case it upset Bjorn. Duncan just assumed that Bjorn was a runaway slave.

"Give us a good fight, _Heda!"_

xxxxx

Bjorn closed the distance between them with just two steps, landing forward on his right foot and using the momentum to draw his sword, only to be stopped when Kai countered with her right foot, the bottom of her boot connecting with the pommel of his sword, stopping him from drawing the sword completely from its sheath (a collective gasp came from their audience). With a strong thrust of her leg, the sword was forcefully sheathed while Bjorn followed, staggering back. He caught himself, anchoring one foot and spinning on his heel and drew his sword, swinging his right arm out ahead of him as his body followed through. He knew Kai would see through this basic move as she bent backward, her hands touching the floor and propelled herself back upright. Without skipping a beat she stepped forward with her right foot and twirled around on her foot, raising her left leg up in a reverse roundhouse kick, the back of her Achilles connecting to the side of Bjorn's head, knocking him over.

The second Bjorn hit the floor he rolled off his shoulder, spinning on his upper back and pushing up onto his feet. He toed his sword at his feet and kicked it up, catching it in his hand with ease. He rolled his neck, working out the kink in the joints and looked back at Kai who just gave him an innocent shrug.

"Thought we agreed to standard, Hawke." he said, tasting blood in his mouth.

"We did, just be grateful I haven't drawn my weapons yet." Kai replied.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, just avoid breaking my neck; I don't exactly have medical insurance anymore."

"Kill joy." Kai said, running up to Bjorn jumping, twisting her body mid-flight and hooked her right leg around his neck, her weight and the force of inertia on her side, sent Bjorn falling onto his back with Kai practically sitting on him. It was just lucky that she didn't drop her whole weight on him otherwise he'd be a goner. Their onlookers went wild, whooping at the move.

"You have gotta be shitting me, Hawke!" he hissed underneath her as he glared up at her smug face.

"What do you want me to do? Go easy on you? Let's just show 'em a good fight." Kai said, "Plus I could use the warm-up."

"I have an idea, let's use tactic number forty." Bjorn said and Kai nodded slightly in agreement. Bjorn reached up, grabbing the front of her shirt and throwing her off him, forcing Kai to roll forward to his right before swinging his legs up and using them to propel onto his feet. Kai spun around on her knees, drawing her daggers. The crowd went wild as they grew louder with excitement.

xxxxx

"Sounds lively today in the yard." Alistair said as he walked alongside Leonie, both heading towards the sound of clashing metal and rioting cheers.

"Yes, well I do like to encourage my men to train but this is the first time they sound so enthralled by a fight." Leonie said, suddenly having an inkling of who may be the cause of such a ruckus. "We did receive fellow Wardens last night who came from Redcliff. It was mainly to reach out and establish communications between the two places."

"Ah, that's right, I recently allowed the Grey Wardens to set up a post in Redcliff this year. I'm guessing it's going well?" Alistair asked.

"As well establishing as any new Warden post, Your Majesty."

"Oh, good." Alistair said as a second thought while his attention went to the crowd in front of them. He made his way towards the front, finding no resistance once the men saw their King (a fine perk, he might say). Once at the fence he saw two people in the ring, an elf and a human girl. "Maker's breath! Is that Bjorn?"

"Stop with the fancy foot work already!" came a gravelly voice, followed by a belch. Alistair looked to his right and saw Oghren, swaying a bit unsteadily on his feet and reeking of booze and—Alistair didn't want to finish that train of thought if he knew the dwarf well enough.

Another collective sound of astonishment came from the crowd of onlookers as Kai had skid across the dirt on her knees while Bjorn ran after her, raising his sword over his head to come down on her. At the last second Kai spun out of the way on her knees as Bjorn's blade hit the dirt. He pivoted on his feet and twisted at the waist to swing his sword at Kai, only for Kai to quickly raise her daggers up, blocking his hit.

Alistair let out a low whistle, watching with great interest and some concern. He was aware of Bjorn's odd circumstance and accepted what little the elf was willing to share, but the girl…he could sense a trace of the taint in her. He glanced over at Leonie who stood to his left, also watching the fight. Would the Commander of the Grey stoop so low as to recruit children?

Another collective gasp and then a cheer and Alistair looked back into the ring to see that the girl had disarmed Bjorn and had the point of one of her daggers at his throat.

"Warden-Commander, a word in private, please." Alistair said, turning away from the two teenagers and heading back into the Keep with Leonie in tow. He didn't stop until they were back in Leonie's office. Leonie wondered what the King would want to discuss. Alistair turned to face her, his usual, easy-going manner replaced by the authoritative King he adopted over the years. "Tell me, Warden-Commander; are you so desperate for new blood that you would recruit children into the Order?"

"Pardon?" Leonie asked, confused by what the King was leading into.

"That girl that was fighting Bjorn in the yard, is she one of your new initiates into the Grey Wardens? Why would you do something like that?! You know as well as I do that being a Grey Warden is a death sentence! You've literally signed that girl's life away!"

Ah. Now she understands. "Your Majesty, I believe there is a misunderstanding. Hawke isn't a new initiate into the Grey."

"But I can sense the taint in that girl. Sure, it's weak but I'm pretty sure that's what it is."

"No, Hawke is immune to the taint. She's like Bjorn. Almost."

"Almost? Wait…I'm so confused."

Leonie held up her hand as she went over to her desk and grabbed her phone from the top drawer, sending a quick message to Kai.

xxxxx

The door to Leonie's office opened and in entered Kai, a little dirty from her impressive fight with Bjorn. Alistair was stricken by her similarity to a certain Champion. Kai took notice of King Alistair, gawking at her, and she had an inkling of what this was about as she slammed the door shut behind her, not at all caring of the force she used. "Explain yourself, Caran." Kai said, startling Alistair and confusing the poor man. What was happening? Why did it appear that this girl was the one in charge?

"There has been a misunderstanding with His Majesty," Leonie began, "King Alistair was under the impression that you are a Grey Warden and instead of me explaining the situation I thought it would be best coming from you… _Heda."_

Kai narrowed her eyes at Leonie for using that title. She was covering her own ass, per usual. She took a moment to rein in her flaring temper before stepping forward to the front of Leonie's desk, giving the Warden-Commander a glare that promised consequence later before turning around and sitting on the fine wood (much to Leonie's annoyance).

"So, King Alistair, how much do you know?" she asked, looking straight at the King.

"Wait…are you…also from the future?" Alistair asked.

"Yes and no. How much do you know?" Kai asked.

"That's not really an answer." Alistair said.

"Yes it is. Now answer me." Kai said, losing her patience as she channeled her inner Spectre. Seeing the King go rigid was a good sign, meaning her will of authority was still strong.

"But I'm the King…" Alistair said, waffling in his resolve (though he hardly had any the second Kai entered the room and slammed the door shut).

"And I'm running out of patience."

His shoulders sagged, a little embarrassed to be subdued so easily by a strong-willed girl. It kind of reminded him of his wife. "Very well, I know that the Warden-Commander and some of the Wardens here in the Keep are actually from the future."

As Alistair talked, Kai gathered that the King was aware of the situation but just barely the surface of it. This was becoming a messy situation. The more people know about them the messier time will be and the future will change either for the best or, more likely, for the worst.

"…and then Bjorn showed me that small little box with a magic window with these marvelous portraits that are very realistic and—"

"Stop talking." Kai said, cutting him off and Alistair's mouth snapped shut as if he were a trained mabari. She rubbed her palms over her face, trying to massage the tension away. "Who else knows?" she asked, this time turning to look back at Leonie who visibly stiffened.

"The Queen, and my most trusted Senior Wardens." Leonie said.

Kai let out a frustrated sigh as she sat forward again. "Well I can't call you out on it since my parents know, too. And my brothers. Fuck!"

"I know time is delicate but so far we have had no indication of any temporal changes." Leonie said.

"Who knows what the repercussions are from us sharing the truth. Have your Senior Wardens been sworn to secrecy?" Kai asked.

"Of course, _Heda._ As were the Wardens sent to Redcliff." Leonie said.

"So, am I to believe that everyone answers to you? Including the Warden-Commander?" Alistair said.

Kai nodded her head. "Even though I don't want them to but apparently that's not my call because I'm outnumbered."

Seeing the confused look on Alistair's face Leonie felt compelled to tell him: "She's a war hero in the future, and also one of the best Spectre agents the Citadel ever had."

"A war hero? I suppose that explains some things." Alistair said, "And what was your name again?"

"Rutherford." Kai said, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Rutherford? But I was sure I heard the Warden-Commander call you Hawke." Alistair said.

"He already knows this much, you might as well tell him. What's digging our graves a little deeper gonna hurt?" Leonie asked.

"Famous last words. Let me know when that satellite dislodges from orbit." Kai said sarcastically as she looked up at Alistair. "Your majesty, you might know my parents for their part in the Mage-Templar Rebellion and the Inquisition. I am the daughter of Cullen Rutherford and Marian Hawke, the former Commander of the Inquisition and the Champion of Kirkwall."

Alistair openly gaped, taking a moment to remember himself. "That—I didn't expect…You're serious? They're your parents? You're their daughter? I didn't even know they had a daughter."

"Did the Warden-Commander tell you about how Trinity abused time travel?" Kai asked. When Alistair shook his head Kai told him about the Malapa Project and how Trinity kidnapped children from every era for their experiments. She told Alistair that she was one of the kidnapped children, stolen from her parents just days after her birth.

"Wow…that…how do you top that one?" Alistair wondered, "So then everyone, all the Wardens and secret agents report to you?"

"Nothing's official but the Grey Wardens will continue to answer to their Warden-Commander. Right now it's all up in the air, nothing is final or notarized or set in stone. No contracts nor oaths have been made." Kai said.

Alistair let out a chuckle, remembering how doubtful he had been when it was decided that he would become King. He saw the potential of a great leader in this girl, having seen and sensed it earlier when she entered the room. He gave her a kind smile.

"When the time comes, you'll do just fine." Alistair said, "Well, I think this has been quite insightful and I'm glad to know that the Grey Wardens aren't recruiting kids."

"Good talk." Kai said, getting off the desk and heading towards the door. She then turned to look at Alistair. "This conversation about secret agents and time travel: never happened."

"My lips are sealed." Alistair said.

"Good. Remember, snitches wind up in ditches." Kai said before leaving the room.

Once Alistair was sure that Kai was out of earshot he looked back at Leonie. "Is it normal to be just a little bit afraid of her?"

"Be grateful she wasn't carrying a weapon." Leonie said, leaning back in her seat. "Rumor was that her kills ranged in the triple digits."

Alistair swallowed a dry lump at that. "But she's so young…"

Leonie looked at the King and smirked, "When I last saw her in the future she was thirty-nine."

"What? That can't be true."

"Time travel, Your Majesty. That is the only explanation I can give you."

xxxxx

Bjorn rubbed at his temples after listening to Kai's story about Cha'na's and Fredrick's plan on uniting the ex-Trinity soldiers and making her their leader. He, Kai and Ray were sitting in Kai's room now. It had been a lot to process, especially when Bjorn couldn't help but compare it to Trinity.

"What a mess," Bjorn sighed, "And they want you to lead before we have all the outposts accounted for?"

"They're getting impatient." Kai said, "And I'm taking serious issue with it all because almost everyone is already calling me _Heda."_

"Can you really blame them?" Ray asked, "You've been here for a year and despite the limitations you were facing from the start you've shown through action that you're the kind of leader the rebels have been waiting for."

"And they decided without asking me first. I don't even want the damn job." Kai said, "I have a family, I have a second chance! Call it selfish but being a normal civilian is what I want. I don't want to be a soldier anymore!"

Ray stared at Kai in stunned silence, his jaw gone slack and his eyes staring at her unblinking. Bjorn, however, merely shook his head and stayed silent, having known Kai's desire for a life that didn't involve with fighting.

"I never wanted that life and I hate the fact that everyone seems to be making decisions for me while I don't seem to get any say in it." Kai said.

Ray closed his mouth and took in a deep breath before breathing out through his nose. This wasn't the Kai he remembered. "Nobody is leading us." he said, looking at her calmly and his voice coming out even and controlled. "As far as I've seen, we've just been operating out of necessity, feeding each other information as needed. We need a leader and Cha'na says it's you." he felt his frustrations rising as he raked his fingers through his hair. "What happened to that girl who had no trouble taking the reins from me in Redcliff?"

"That was different, Ray, we were going to die because of your stupidity and lack of leadership." Kai said.

"You took over and lead us all to safety under a hopeless circumstance. You kept your cool when the rest of us were freaking out." Ray said, "That's the type of leader we need and like it or not that leader is _you!"_

"Ray, look at me, I'm fifteen again! Do you seriously think I'm what they need right now? A fresh-faced teenager who would rather play _Little House on the Prairie_ than Leader of the fuckin' Rebels?"

"Maybe not," Bjorn said, "but the agents are scattered all over Thedas, right? Most of us don't know each other outside our outposts by face. That can be used to our advantage."

Ray snapped his fingers and his face lit up. "Right! We could use someone to act as the face!"

"And when it's revealed that I'm the one actually running the show? Nobody will like the fact that they were lied to again." Kai said.

"Which means you'll have to be the face of leadership." Bjorn said, "Listen, Hawke, I agree with Ray."

"You do?" both Kai and Ray said together.

"You might not see it, but you've always been a leader. When we were in the Academy together our friends and classmates always looked to you. We all gravitated towards you. You're right to say that as you are now it will be a hard sell to convince all of the rebels that you are the leader they need, so we'll bide our time. Build up your reputation. Build up your legend. Appeal to their interest in taking down Trinity. We'll promote your image by convincing them of the idea that you are their leader and that it was their idea to make you _Heda_."

"Well damn," Ray said, "That's a sales pitch."


End file.
